War of Nightmares
by PickleInACup
Summary: Edgar is having doubts about his abilities as pumpkin king, but when a new villian has teamed up with old enemies, threatening Halloween, Edgar must step up and protect what's his.
1. Chapter 1

War of Nightmares

Chapter one: We Begin

Disclaimer: Insert 'I do not own the Nightmare Before Christmas. All rights to this masterpiece belongs to Tim Burton' in place of 'X'; where 'X' is the number of chapters in this fanfic. (I wrote the disclaimer Magic the Gathering style so I won't have to keep writing them each chapter)

Also, this fic is rated M for strong language, violence, explicit sexual content, drug references and adult situations. I'm not encouraging readers to swear, kill, fuck excessively, or do drugs. These topics are just fun to write about.

Warning: This is the final story to my Nightmare Series of fanfictions. It will be long, full of OC's (but I always include original characters frequently) and it will be very hard to follow if you haven't read my other fics. If you still feel like reading this, more power to you. Please review. Praise and flames welcomed.

_"Not so long ago, though I can't recall the date, dark forces penetrated Halloween Town's gate. Its influence was subtle at first, but it grew, ripping the old holiday world in two. This epic extends the Christmas tale told before- Oh, you thought you've heard the ending? Surprise! There's more..." _


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Birthday Blues

In the cemetery, Gregor sat against a tombstone strumming the melody to the Town's anthem on his B.C. Rich.

_"-Come with us and you will see_

_This our town of Halloween-"_

He sang quietly so only, he could hear. Gregor had little confidence in his voice. He left singing and screaming up to his older skeleton of a brother, Edgar. In the middle of the chorus, he spotted a black shapeless figure out of the corner of his eye. Startled, he gasped, ducking his head behind the tombstone. After a long, silent pause, Gregor saw no trace of the black figure.

He decided to quit practicing for the time being and threw his guitar in its coffin case. He strolled along the stone and iron boulevards until he spotted Trivett leaning against a mausoleum, making out with his girlfriend, Stial. He watched as Trivett caressed Stial's flowing black curls and round butt with his boney hands. Their affections for each other seemed unnatural to just about everyone. A skeleton and a night elf together was unheard of Halloween. Most of the citizens still referred to them as drow or simply mistook them for goblins. Jack always welcomed Stial into the cemetery, however, especially when he recognized Trivett's feelings were genuine.

Gregor hid behind sleeping gargoyle. He held his hand over his mouth to muffle his nauseated gagging. Watching others kiss always made the young rag doll uncomfortable. Sure, Stial was pretty, very pretty. Her facial features were as delicate as any elf. Although she was short (about five-foot three inches at the tallest), she had a nice figure, the smoothest purple skin and the most dazzling red eyes. Gregor knew he couldn't bring himself to kiss her or anyone else for that matter. His shy nature and social awkwardness prevented him from ever developing a strong enough crush.

"Break it up you two!" Gregor heard Jack yell playfully.

Stial jumped, hugging Trivett tightly. "Oh! Hi, Jack." She greeted him timidly.

Trivett looked up at his mentor with a big, foolish grin. "If you'd give me access to the keys, we wouldn't have this problem."

"It's not going to happen. Not until you show me some real responsibility." Jack reminded him. "I didn't hire you to go on a date. Has the shipment of marble come in yet?"

"Not yet. It should get here soon, though." Trivett always answered Jack in a polite, coherent manner. Jack had been nice enough to give him a job doing grunt work in the graveyard on top of giving him and his other young skeleton friends scaring lessons. If Jack wanted the 'gangsta' act dropped, then so be it. It didn't stop him from dressing like a thug though. Trivett insisted on wearing ridiculously baggy blue jeans and loose t-shirts no matter how hard it was to keep them from falling off his skeletal frame.

Jack sighed. "It better get here soon. I have five new gravestones to sculpt and install. Tell me as soon as it arrives. If you need me, I'll be at the house finishing the new designs."

"Dad, wait!" Gregor ran after him.

Jack turned around, smiling. "Good morning. What are you up to?"

Gregor fidgeted uncomfortably. "I was just practicing...getting fresh air...H-have you seen anyone drifting around the cemetery today?"

Jack rubbed his chin in thought. "I scheduled three ditch diggers today, but they're working on the other side of Spiral hill. Why do you ask?"

"Well... I thought I saw the shadow again. It keeps coming closer."

"Are you sure it wasn't Zero? A drifting spirit maybe?"

"I don't think it's a ghost. Not that kind of ghost anyways."

"This is the fourth time this week you sensed someone following you." Jack stated in a concerned tone, feeling Gregor's forehead. "I circle this area twice daily and I've yet to spot any trespassers. Maybe you've been cooped up in the cemetery too long. Why don't you head into town and play with your friends for a while? Give that accursed guitar a rest."

Gregor ran his fingers through his auburn yarn hair and sighed. "No...I'm just going to head inside."

"Suit yourself. Your mother needs to tighten your stitches anyways."

Gregor walked away, confused and slightly nervous. Every time he tried to practice outside the smell of ashes filled his nostrils and he felt a presence watching him. He was beginning to think something was stalking him. Maybe it was in his head. He prayed it was in his head...

Spiral hill was in sight and his home just beyond it. At the last minute, Gregor decided to turn and head of the entrance instead. "On second thought, maybe a trip into town wouldn't be so bad..." He hated having his stitches tightened. It's such a bother on top of being just plain humiliating.

His skinny cloth body slipped through the iron bars with ease. Early December is a slow month in Halloween Town, so Guillotine Square was deserted. A chilly winter wind howled as he walked down the street with his stitched up face hung low.

He looked up at Skellington Manor and spotted Edgar heading out the front door. His step lacked its usual bounce and his confident skeleton grin was nowhere on his face. Slightly disturbed by this, Gregor waved to him, calling 'EDGAR! HEY- OVER HERE!"

They ran towards each other and met by the front gate. Edgar greeted him in his usual manner, by giving him a rough noogie. "Hey, what's up?"

Gregor swatted his hand away. "Nothing much. You?"

"I'm meeting Shock at Town Hall. Halloween business- I won't bore you with the details."

Gregor smiled. "Thanks"

Edgar gave him a playful punch in the arm. "You walking this way or what?"

Gregor shrugged. "Sure, I guess. Don't walk too fast." He followed Edgar close behind. Edgar moved unusually slow, shoulders drooping and his hands clasped behind his back. Gregor eyed him strangely. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Why?"

"You're acting a little...sluggish lately."

Edgar sighed and took a seat on the brim of the fountain. He really hated the idea of whining to his baby brother, but he needed to talk to _someone_. "I'm fine" Edgar assured him. "I'm a little bummed out about tomorrow, that's all."

"Why? What's tomorrow?"

"My birthday." Edgar grimaced as if those words left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Oh..." Gregor cocked his head in confusion. "And you are bummed about that because...?"

"It's my big 3-0." He explained.

Gregor snickered. "Uh...bo-tard, you're dead. Technically, you don't age."

"_Uh_...I know that, smartass!" Edgar snapped obnoxiously. "I still don't want to be thirty." He stood and started to pace around in small circles. "It's not the age thing really." He added solemnly. "It's just...The years have gone by so fast. I mean, one minute I was seventeen and the next thing I know, I'm thirty! Thirteen years have gone by and I have nothing to show for it."

"You're king of Halloween. That's something."

"True, but I'm only king because I was born a prince. Everything in my afterlife has been pre-established for me in one way or another. I haven't accomplished anything major on my own. There were things I wanted to have done by now."

"Like what?"

Edgar paused. "Well, you know...See a concert, swim with sharks, kill Paris Hilton, cause an international panic, get ma-" Edgar trailed off. "I-its personal stuff, Gregor. I'd rather not discuss it."

"Okay"

Edgar sat once again, burying his face in his palms. "I'm every bit as good as dad was. I haven't even reached my prime and still, I suck! Why do I suck _this_ hard?"

"There you go again!"

"Hu?"

"You're comparing yourself to dad."

"Well, yeah, I-"

"No, dude-" Gregor scolded him. "You told me I shouldn't compare myself to you so you shouldn't compare yourself to dad. Rather than try to accomplish everything he did when he was Pumpkin King, why not accomplish something he didn't."

Edgar sat up straight, eye sockets froze wide open. "You have a good point, but what could I possibly do that dad hasn't?"

Gregor hopped off the brim. "You're the Pumpkin King. You think of something." With that, he walked off, leaving Edgar to reflect.

It amazed Edgar how in the ten years since his creation, Gregor had not physically aged at all, but his wisdom developed beyond most beings in Halloween town. The lumplings words stuck with him as he entered Town Hall.

Edgar looked about the stage. "Shock?" He asked, peeping behind the curtain.

"Up here, dumbass!"

Edgar spun around to find Shock on the balcony. "Hey! What are you doing up there?"

"I'm screwing with the spotlight!" She answered before giving it a good kick. The bats sleeping on the bulb scattered. "It's still flickering!" She announced irritably. "I though you were going to ask the doctor to fix it!"

"Grandpa has more important things on his mind and so do I." Edgar replied.

"Well, la dee damn da!" Shock climbed down from the balcony. Edgar watched closely as her black skirt ridded almost high enough for her butt to show. Since she had been elected mayor, Shock was able to afford clothes that flattered her long legs and curves. No matter what style of dress, it always matched her purple witch's hat and black high-heeled boots.

"First things first, I need coffee." She announced when she finally reached the floor.

"Good idea" Edgar agreed.

Behind the curtain, in Shock's office, they sat at a long table. Shock stared at Edgar in awe as he guzzled down cup after cup of coffee. No sugar, no cream, nothing but black coffee.

"Whoa, Ed, slow down. You're hyper enough as it is."

Edgar wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "I need all the energy I can get today. I'm not in a very frightening mood."

Shock smirked. "Oh...I get it. Its _that_ time of year again."

"Shut up."

"You always get mopey around your birthday. It's so pathetic!"

"Shut up."

"Don't worry, Ed. The guys and I will cheer you up." She assured him with a mischievous smirk.

Edgar frowned. "Oh no...No, no, no, no! What are you going to do?"

"You'll see."

Edgar flicked the brim of her hat. "You are **not** throwing me a surprise party!" He ordered. "The last thing I want to do on my birthday is celebrate!"

"Relax, I'm not throwing a party. I wouldn't waste that much time and effort on an ass munch like you."

"I'm serious! I want to forget all about Friday. Throw me a party and I **will** punch you in the face- I'm not kidding!" He warned, pointing.

"I said I wasn't going to throw you a party and I'm **not**!" She insisted. "Quit being such a dick! I'm older than you and you don't see me pissing and moaning about it."

"Yeah, well...Hey, when _is_ your birthday- Lock and Barrel's too for that matter?"

Shock shrugged. "I have no freaking clue. Truth is I don't know our exact ages either." She laughed. "Like that makes a difference to us. We stopped keeping track after we moved in with Oogie." Shock quickly switched over to more uplifting topic. "We live in a perpetual state of adolescence and we don't intend to grow up any time soon. So what's your hang-up?"

Edgar shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I'm just being stupid."

"Well, quit it." She shifted uncomfortably. "I don't want to be here anymore than you do, you know. I haven't seen Caliber since Halloween. I miss him."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Shock looked to her lap. "I'm starting to feel more like AP's mom then Cal's. Serves me right for marrying a warlock. Fucking wand jockey...pain in my ass- hiding underground with our son like a fucking mole..." She shook her head and laughed. "Thanks a lot, Ed. Why do you have to make me feel crappy about my life just because you're feeling crappy about yours?"

"I never suffer alone." Edgar laughed for the first time in days. "Okay, okay. I'll quit bitching if you will. We need to go over the plans before three."

"Very well, your highness. Show me what you got."

Shock giggled inwardly as Edgar revealed a pile of freshly drawn blueprints on the table. This little trick applied to pranksters of all ages. A lie doesn't count if your fingers were crossed.

On Shock's break, she returned to the tree house. In Boogie boy time, late afternoon is breakfast time. She climbed into the room just in time to watch Lock's pathetic attempt to get Alia Phoenix to eat.

"Come on, AP..." Lock inched a fork closer and closer towards Alia's mouth. "Hotdogs...nummer nummers!"

"Dad... I'm twelve. That doesn't work on me anymore."

"They're made from bat gizzard...come on..."

"I don't like hot dogs."

"You like what I can afford." Lock inched the fork even closer." Now nummer fucking nummmers!"

"Leave her alone. She's not hungry." Thicket begged.

"I'll eat them!" Halberd climbed onto the table and shoved a hotdog in his mouth.

Lock pouted, folding his arms in front of his chest. "Pain in my ass- both of you! You know what? Fuck you guys! I'm not cooking anymore!"

"Aw, shut up Lock. You really want _me_ to cook?"

Everyone turned to find Shock, leaning against the nearly demolished doorway, smirking.

Thicket greeted her with a tip of her hat. "Hey, Shock, do you think you could give us a hand in the casino tonight? We're expecting a big crowd and Barrel will probably be on bouncer duty the whole night."

"On one condition." Shock agreed. "You have to help me throw a party for Ed. We'll need beer and every dumb broad you can find."

Lock grinned fiendishly. "Oh shit! Is it his birthday already?"

"Yup, and he's being a royal douche about it as usual."

Lock's tail twitched with excitement. "I know at least ten ghouls with fat IOU's on their tab. They come in with skanks on their shoulders every night. I'll get the strippers you need, Shock, no problem."

"Good. What about the drinks?"

"I'll let Barrel take care of it." Hester offered. "Are you sure this is a good idea though? I mean, Edgar's not too keen on the whole birthday thing."

Shock flashed her a dismissive hand gesture. "He'll loosen up when the music gets going, trust me."

Halberd gave Alia a high five. "Yes! We get to party with Uncle Ed!"

"Sorry guys" Thicket apologized. "But you're too young for this kind of party."

Alia and Halberd groaned in disappointment. "But that's crap!" Alia whined. "We've seen drunks and sluts before! The casino is crawling with them all the time!"

"Yeah, but we're down there keeping them away from you." Lock reminded them. "You guys can't come, that's that. Make mischief somewhere else tomorrow."

"Okay..." The kids replied in unison. They stomped out of the room and climbed down the tree to sulk outside.

"They seem upset" Thicket stated the obvious. "I feel so bad."

"They'll get over it." Lock assured her. "Okay, guys, huddle..."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Party On

The next day after a long discussion at Dr. Finklestein's lab, Shock offered to walk Edgar back to Skellington Manor.

"You could have been a little more supportive back there." Edgar said coldly.

"You were spouting out some real warped shit, Ed." Shock replied defensively. "A skin suit you can rip off in front of people? It's a little B-rated, don't you think?"

"Exactly! I was up all writing down every sick little thought that crept into my brain. It's my job to come up with stuff like that."

"Well, the doctor agreed to it, but gross out techniques are more in Barrel's taste."

"Trust me, it'll be..." Edgar trailed off as he reached for the door handle. "Wait a second. You usually take off for the catacombs to visit your little albino boy Hatchet by now. What are you up to?"

"Nothing" Shock assured him as nonchalantly as she could. "I just want to hear more about these new ideas you keep pulling out of your ass. It's my job to promote them for Halloween, isn't it?"

Edgar eyed her suspiciously. "I guess so..."

Shock stood behind him, showing no outward signs of excitement as he turned the knob and walked inside. The moment Edgar stepped into his living room 'Lightening Strikes' began to play and a bunch of ghouls jumped out from behind the furniture and screamed 'SURPRISE!"

Edgar waved awkwardly to the few guest he knew personally. "Heh...you got me, guys..."

Shock slapped him on the back. "Happy Birthday, Ed."

"I want to hurt you." He hissed, glaring hatefully.

"Birthday punches!" Barrel cried before dealing him thirty punches to his arm rapid fire.

"Owwww..." Edgar rubbed his now paralyzed arm tenderly. "Dammit, I tell you three every year not to throw a party!"

"Shut up and drink." Lock ordered placing a cold can of beer in his hand. "Show a little gratitude. We had to pull a lot of strings to make this happen, so make fucking merry, would you?"

Lock shoved Edgar into his armchair. He sighed in defeat and took a swig of his drink. Everyone else seemed to be having fun, so he decided to at least fake a good time for their sake.

Someone crept up behind him and blew a noisemaker right over his head. Edgar jumped in his seat. He clenched his nonexistent heart as he looked up to find Trivett smiling down at him. "Yo E-Dizzle, wazzup?"

Edgar snatched him by the throat, pulled him over the chair. He clutched Trivett's shoulders, shaking him violently. "Look, over the years I've had to endure 'Edna', 'Ed-_durh'_, 'Son of Jackass', 'Ed Mcmuffin', 'E.D. Numbskull', 'Special Ed', 'Ed-dork', 'Ed-tard', 'Eddie the Klutz', 'Ed-douche', and 'Brittle Bones', but I _will not _now nor ever will be referred to as 'E-Dizzle'! Got that?"

"A'right, chill, Ed. I was just messin' wit ya."

Edgar breathed a heavy sigh as he dropped Trivett to his feet. "Dude, I told you. You're not allowed to join my Manor parties until you're eighteen."

"But I turned twenty three months ago."

"You have to be shitting me- _twenty_?" Edgar punched himself in the forehead. "God, now I really feel old!"

Trivett patted him on the back. "Don't worry; I know your mind goes every which way. Hey...I know this is probably a bad time to ask, but I need you to do me a huge favor-"

"No way! Forget it! I told you to stay away from those rotting waste of skin and bones! They're not your brotha's! They're not your posse! They belong on the outskirts of the cemetery for a reason! If you expect me to bail you or anyone else out of hard time again, you-"

"I'm not in trouble! Yo Ed, that's fucked up for you to assume that shit from me. I need to borrow some money, that's all.."

"Oh...Sorry." Edgar's expression softened. Trivett looked serious for once. "How much and for what?"

Trivett looked to his feet, embarrassed. "Don't say anything to anyone."

Edgar raised a metal salute in the air. "Head banger's honor."

"I've known Stial as long as I've been dead and things are kind a...I want to propose to her, but I can't afford a nice ring. Can you loan me a couple of hundred? I swear I'll pay you back as soon as I can."

Touched, Edgar placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you sure about this? I mean, her dad's an elvish cleric or something. He could use the moon itself against you if he disapproves."

"Yo! Let that old drow-nigga use his fucking weak-ass moon magic on me! I don't give a shit! I love Stial- I don't care who approves and who doesn't."

Chuckling, Edgar pulled a small black book from his jacket and scribbled out a check. "Here, get her something in platinum. Night elves are forbidden to wear gold. I also suggest you work on you grammar before you pop the question. And for the Celt's sake, say something romantic."

Trivett swelled up inside as Edgar handed him the check. He enwrapped Edgar in a big bear hug, ignoring the stares he received from the other guest. "Thank you, Ed! Thank you! You're the shizznit! My whole afterlife, you've been like-like family! I'd do anything for you- fight, steel, kill, anything, you name it!"

Edgar mentally blushed. "Let go, bo-tard! People are watching!"

Trivett released him. "I'll never forget this." He added. "I mean it, Ed. I got yer back."

"Aw, forget it. Go on; live it up a little before you're chained down like the rest of my friends." Edgar shooed him towards the kitchen. When he was finally rid of him, he sat back down to finish his beer and collect his thoughts.

Now he was really depressed. Even Trivett, dense as lead TRIVETT had found someone before he did. He was felt happy and yet sad about the union. He had watched Trivett grow up from the time he passed onto this world as a fresh corpse to the time he decayed into a skinless undead monster. Edgar rested his chin in his hands and sighed, blocking all the commotion going on around him from his mind.

As he sulked, a corporal woman with long dark brown hair and rotting pale skin came strutting up to him. She wore a small black mask that just covered her gouged out eyes, matching black pumps and a bikini made from black and orange ribbon.

"Edgar?" She asked seductively.

"That's me." He replied absently. "Um...may I help you?"

"I'm Laura..." She reached out, stroking his hair and cheeks. Her long, black, and blue nails scrapped against his marrow. "How is the birthday boy?"

Edgar shrugged indifferently.

"It'll get better, honey. I have a gift for you." Her lips formed a smirk as she stood and began to dance for him. She swayed her breast and hips slowly, running her fingertips against her bruised, battered curves.

"A lap dance?" Edgar leaned back with a look of annoyance. "Alright, you'll do..."

Laura brushed off his insulting tone and continued to dance. She crawled onto his lap and heaved her breast at his face. He seemed pleased, so she tried to make conversation. "That was a very nice thing you did for that kid-"

"Don't talk, just dance," He ordered.

Laura found it harder and harder to perform for the young skeleton. She tried shaking her ass at him, but that didn't excite him either.

Lock and the others peeked out at them from a dark hallway. "What's he doing? What's happening?" Shock asked, trying to push Lock's head out of the way.

"He's just sitting there!" Lock answered, swatting Shock's arm away. "Man, what is his problem?"

"I know!" Barrel cried. "Ed usually loves skanks. He must be worse off than we thought."

"Well, we gotta snap him out of it!" Shock added. "He's bringing down the room."

"You should leave him alone." Hatchet warned, taking a drag from his pipe.

"Don't spoil this for me!" Shock snapped.

"He's right though." Hester insisted. "Ya'll need to know when someone is genuinely upset."

"What does he have to be upset about?" Barrel asked.

"How should she know?" Thicket answered. "You're his friends. Did anyone of you try asking him?"

The trio exchanged questionable glances then sneered "Na..." in unison.

"There has to be something that'll get Edgar back to his bad boney self..." Lock and others struggled to think. Suddenly, the beginning riff to 'Battery' provided the inspiration.

They threw the metal salute in the air, wearing it against their foreheads. "MOSH PIT!"

Laura gave up. Edgar hadn't so much as pinched her or crack a smile. "Here, for your trouble-" He sneered, placing a few bills in her g-string. "Now get out of my sight."

"PIG!" Laura slapped him across the face before she ran off crying.

Barrel ran over and yanked him to his feet. "What happened, dude? You're supposed to be the lady's man around here."

Edgar frowned. "No more strippers today. I'm not in the mood, for the last freaking time."

"Well get in the mood." Barrel ordered with a twisted smile. "We're starting a mosh pit."

Edgar did not look enthused. "What? Not in my-"

"EVERYONE! NEW MEAT!" He tossed Edgar to Lock who elbowed him to Shock who head butted him back into Barrel's fist.

Within seconds, everyone in the room found themselves caught in the pit. Barrel led the way by throwing smaller, weaker ghouls across the room. His long green hair whipped through the air as he head banged. The few who decided to stay out of it pushed escapees back in. They passed broken beer bottles, chains, planks of wood and anything blunt and portable into the pit. Edgar was caught in the middle, putting up a lousy fight.

Punch after punch, slap after slap, kick after kick, Edgar took, barely noticing the impact. But the song shifted into full metal swing and Edgar began to feel the energy pulsing through him.

He threw a blind punch, knocking loose some random vampire's fang. It relieved just a little stress so Edgar tried again. He began swinging his arms wildly and bumped into any poor fool close to him. Of course, they hit him back, but he didn't care. Beating the crap out of close friends and total strangers allowed him to alleviate all that was troubling him just moments ago.

Suddenly a familiar paw-like fist dealt him an uppercut. "Those long arms come in handy, hu?" Dusk shouted to him over the crowd and blaring music.

Edgar didn't have enough time to rub his jaw before someone shoved him towards her. "No energy blast?" He asked with a smirk.

"They would wreck your lovely home." The fox demon replied, twitching her tail to taunt whoever was behind her. She threw another punch at Edgar. "What's the matter? I thought you liked this moshing stuff."

Edgar rammed her into the wall. "Sorry, but I don't hit girls, not even in the pit. So, how's Rage and Ire?"

"Good. They're on the roof with Wrath." Dusk kicked him in the torso. "His nocturnal sleeping habits are rubbing off on them. I made it though."

"Glad you did" Edgar snatched her by the arm and threw her into the arms of a bashful werewolf. Edgar could help but laugh as Dusk scratched him across the face to avoid a kiss.

A purple flash caught his eye. Hatchet had snatched Shock's hat off her head and slapped her across the butt with it. Shock retaliated by snatching his hat and slapping him across the face. They laughed hysterically, sissy slapping each other like playful lumplings

Edgar froze. Since when did Hatchet become so carefree with Shock? Sure, they had been married for years now, but Edgar had never really seen them act like a real couple. He didn't want to. No matter how great a guy Shock swore Hatchet is, Edgar couldn't help but feel she had made the wrong choice.

Edgar couldn't understand it to this day. He had been friends with her since early childhood. He knew Shock like the back of his hand. They shared similar interest, they shared the sense of humor, and they made conversation with each other easily. Hatchet couldn't possible know Shock the way he did. He couldn't possible _love_ her the way he did! But, still, Shock chose that warlock bastard Hatchet over Edgar and she always would.

Edgar felt hot tears of anger forming in his eye sockets. He sniffed them back heavily. Was that was this party was all about? So she could flirt with Hatchet in front of him, rubbing her rejection in his face for the thousandth time? Shock loved to humiliate him. She did ever since they were lumplings, but this time she had gone too far.

Edgar's hands formed tight fist at his side. He stomped on fallen guest, windmill kicked people in the temple and even poked a few eyes out. He couldn't help it. The fighting doused the pain.

Lock received a punch in the nose. "Nice Ed! I knew you'd come around!" He said, holding his nose so the blood wouldn't stain his Devil Driver shirt.

Edgar didn't hear him. Nothing existed except for his flying fist until his right one collided with Shock's eye.

Edgar's eye sockets widened in horror as he watched his good friend fall to her knees. "OW! Son of a bitch!" She cried, holding her face.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry!"

Hatchet restrained him, scowling venomously. "Touch her and I'll strangle you!" Hatchet warned.

Enraged, Barrel grabbed him by his arms and slammed him against the wall so hard his boney body left a dent. "What the fuck was that for?" Barrel's shouting caused immediate silence throughout the room.

Edgar squirmed nervously. He had never seen Barrel genuinely angry before. His normally round, simpering face contorted into a menacing scowl. His broad chest heaved with penned up fury under is torn skeletal shirt and his thick arms locked forming inescapable restraints. Edgar cowered up at him. "I-I didn't mean to- I wasn't aiming for- Shock, I-"

"No one punches Shock besides us!" Lock reminded him. "If you lay one hand on her again, you're fucking dust!"

Shock hid her black eye with her hat and ran to Edgar's aid. "Barrel, put him down!" She ordered, tugging on his arm. "We were moshing! I'd be stupid _not_ to expect a punch in the face! Come on, it's not that bad. Let him go!"

"But-"

"Now, Barrel!"

Barrel's expression softened just slightly. He dropped Edgar on his tailbone. Lock glared down at him. "I hope for your sake that _was_ an accident. Because if we can ever prove it wasn't..." Lock left his threat open. He and Barrel walked away to restart the pit.

Edgar crawled away and made a run for the stairs. He stopped climbing half way up the staircase after realizing no one had followed him. He stared at his right fist, frightened. Had it been an accident? Moments before, he wished for nothing more than to punch Shock- to wipe that conniving, lopsided smirk off her pretty green face for good.

No matter the reason, Edgar felt terrible for actually doing it. He slid into a sitting position, hugging his knees to his chest. He looked up the moment he heard the unmistakable sound of Shock's high heels.

"Ed- There you are."

"Shock, I'm so sorry."

"Why?" She forced a laugh. "You said you'd punch me if I threw you a party. I knew I was pushing your buttons and I fully accept the consequences."

"But I didn't mean it! I'd never hurt you."

Shock rolled her non-swollen eye. "You mean this? Come on, I used to be a freaking Boogie boy! Do you really think _this_ fazes me?" She knelt down and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Lock and Barrel were just being meat heads, okay? They became really protective of me ever since they first realized I'm a chick."

Edgar looked to his lap. "It doesn't matter. They should have kicked my ass. Shock, I...I'll be in my study."

Edgar hopped to his feet and raced up the stairs.

"WAIT!" Shock chased after him, but her heels slowed her down. Eventually she lost her breath and gave up. "Dammit Ed..." She sighed in defeat. "Eh, he'll be okay by tomorrow."

Shock returned to the party, which had not died down in Edgar's absence. For one translucent figure in the pit, the party had ended. He slipped through the crowd easily. All furniture in his path slid aside with a wave of his claw-like hand. As he clenched his fist, the window burst open. His long hair and tattered clothes began to flail, his form then broke apart in the air until he was part of the wind.

The ghost drifted through the streets- over every monument, shop, home and building the winding cobblestone roads lead to until he reached the shadowy forest on the outskirts of town.

His human-like body reformed as did his long, flowing hair, his black leather trench coat, and studded boots. "So this is Halloween Town, hu?...Metal."

"Not quite" Another ghostly figure with narrow glowing green eyes replied. "But it could be."

"This Edgar Skellington dude- he really tried to kill you?"

The black figure also began to morph into a solid mass, taking the form of giant burlap sack. "Don't let him fool you, Gore. Edgar's a real twisted fuck. He lies, steals, and abuses his power over the undead worse than any Skellington before him."

Gore's simplified facial features formed a frown. "I'm sorry to hear that, but what do you expect me to do about it? I'm a fucking roadie, not a vigilante."

The big sack placed its arm around his shoulder. "I've toured around myself for many years- Merciful Fate, Slayer, Motorhead, I know the trade. Loved every minute of it, but a spirit can't wonder forever. It needs to rest, but I couldn't go home. The Skellingtons ruined Halloween for boogiemen. Trust me though, if you follow my lead, we can take this town back."

"And Halloween Town will be a safe haven for ghost and ghouls again?"

"For our kind of ghost and ghouls, yeah."

Gore grinned, giving just a bit of definition to his round, translucent face.

"Noogie?" A seductive, feminine voice called out through the trees. Another ghost appeared dressed scantily in a denim miniskirt, fishnet stockings, and a leather half shirt. Like Gore, her was cloud white, but gave off a bluish glow. She held up a mass of burlap, ancient, smelly, and nearly completely eaten away from decay and mothballs. "I retrieved this from the casino, baby."

Noogie rushed over to her and snatched the material from her hands. "Yes! They never bothered to scrape him off the mixer! Dammit, I love stupidity sometimes! We have all the bugs we need, now for the fun part..." After a laugh, he leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss. "Thanks, Dixie-babe. Love ya."

a/n: Okay, this is were the story will actually pick up. A few things I should probably explain. Dusk and her son Rage is owned by Dusk-Kitsune88. Her husband Wrath (the half vampire, half gargoyle thing) and their daughter Ire are mine. AP is Lock's daughter who has green skin, long orange hair and wears a black horned mask with a red and black dress and has a pointed demon tail. Her costume is a succubus. Halberd, Barrel's son looks a lot like him, but wears a bloody hokey mask, ripped jeans, and a black shirt that says 'Metal Health'. He has blue skin, dark purple hair and has bare normal human-like feet. His costume is a serial killer. Edgar will not remain _this_ aggravating and pathetic throughout the whole fic. I know the last couple of paragraphs were a little confusing so a skim through 'As the Nightmare Continues' would probably help a great deal.

P.S.: 'Battery' is by Metallica and 'Lightening Strikes' is by Ozzy Osborne Sorry I posted so many chapters at once, but I haven't much time to type or get to a computer to post stuff. Thank for reading guys, rock on and remember people of both genders, don't be mean to strippers. Seriously, their job is degrading enough as it is without guys treating them like crap and chicks looking down on them.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Down with Drow

Gregor sat on the limb of a withered oak, looking out at the horizon. From the branch he could see the entire cemetery. The sight of the autumn afternoon inspired him to play 'House of the Rising Sun' on his guitar.

All of a sudden, the wind carried the dreadful smell of sulfur to his nostrils. He ignored it as best he could, determined to finish the chords successfully, but a hand reached out from the shadowy forest growth and yanked him right out of the tree. He let out a frightened scream as he plummeted towards the ground.

He clenched his eyes shut and when he opened him he found himself face down in the middle of an alleyway, nowhere near the cemetery.

"Jack, I found him!"

Gregor sat upright, startled as Sally ran towards him.

"What are you doing out here?" She shouted, pulling him to his feet. "You didn't sleep outside, did you- you did! Look at you!" Sally brushed off Gregor's jacket and buttoned it for him.

"Gregor, where in the hell have you been?" Jack scolded him.

Gregor's glassy blue eyes widened in shock. He had never heard his father curse before. "I was with Hal' and AP. I stopped by the tree house. They kept complaining that their parents were off at some party and they were bored, so they decided to super glue the Harlequin monster's trashcan lid shut as a joke. We met up with Jim and he asked me to jam with the group, so I did for a while. Afterwards I went to Grandpa's lab and hung out with Igor and-"

"You never came home!" Jack interrupted. "You had us worried sick. Don't let me ever catch you wandering the streets for no reason!"

Gregor looked to his feet. "I'm sorry..."

"You've been acting so strange lately. I..."Sally sighed as she smoothed down his hair. "Pick up your guitar and take it home. We have a meeting at Town Hall to go to. Wait for us at home. We're going to have a long discussion when we get back."

He snatched his coffin case off the pavement. He looked to Jack apologetically, but Jack pointed in the direction of the cemetery signaling for him to march. Gregor sighed, dragging his feet against the pavement.

The early afternoon sun bothered his eyes, so he tried to block it with his sleeve. As he held his arm to his forehead, the smell of burning sulfur returned. He inspected his arm, but couldn't spot any stains or marks on his black jacket. He rolled up his sleeve, horrified to find a black handprint, tiny and made from ashes. Gregor gasped as he rubbed his arm clean. Frantic, he dropped his walk for a run.

Meanwhile, ghoul after ghoul shoved their way into Town Hall. They crammed into the pews, chatting amongst themselves. Every voice seemed to be trying to drown the other voices out, creating a dreadful racket.

Edgar leaned against the podium, holding his head in agony. He dreaded town meetings, every one of them. "QUIET!" He begged. "PLEASE! EVERYONE QUIET!"

The noise died down. Edgar cleared his throat before he began. "I know this is Open Suggestion Night and you all have a great deal to-to- Barrel, stop making faces!- To offer, but I'd like to start off with a suggestion of my own."

The Clown with the tear away face raised his hand. "Awful sudden suggestion!" He sneered. "Did you come up with this last night?"

"Yes, I did actually. It hit me just before I went to bed. I haven't slept, so I'd appreciate it if you hear me out-"

"The craftsmanship on coffins has been lacking!" One of the vampire brothers interrupted. "We demand that the old ones be burned and new ones be placed in stock!"

"There is nothing wrong with the coffins!" Jack replied defensively from across the room. "I inspected everyone of them myself. There isn't a thing wrong with them!"

"With all do respect, you don't have quite as much experience in coffins as we do." Said the shortest vampire.

"PLEASE!" Edgar cried. "Will discuss coffins later! My idea could double last year's Nightmare Rank!"

The crowd scoffed at him, making gestures and remarks of doubt.

"It could!" Edgar insisted in a tone he had hoped would have been more convincing. "I have a plan that would guarantee us a full moon Halloween night every year no matter where we scare. No more hours spent tracking the moon's cycle only to make half-reliable predictions! The moon will be full and will rise and set to our liking!"

"Too good to be true" The wolf man growled.

The swamp gal raised her hand (fin?) and stood. "That's swell for the werewolves, but how will this benefit the rest of us?"

"You can't tell me a full moon wouldn't make any body of water look eerie. As for the rest of you, think about it. A full moon in a pitch-black sky cast perfect shadows. Lurking in the dark would be effortless."

Satisfied with Edgar's response, the swamp gal sat back down.

Edgar's nonexistent stomach sank as Jack raised his hand. "Edgar, wouldn't distorting the sky to our liking create unwanted suspicion among the living? Surely they would notice if the moon was full in one area and half shining in the next."

"Well...That's a good thing. They will see its happening, but they won't be able to explain it. Isn't that the basic element of fear?"

Jack nodded in agreement. Edgar felt like singing the moment he recognized pride in his father's expression. His boost of confidence was short-lived.

"YOU'RE ALL TALK!" Lock shouted from the far back. "TELL US HOW!"

The rest of the crowd demanded an explanation as well. Edgar looked up at the balcony. Shock motioned (not subtly either) for him to get on with it. "I'll tell you how-" He assured them. "But keep in mind, in order for this plan to work; I need your support and cooperation..." He paused to take a deep breath and muster up his courage. "Hanging Tree! You may enter!"

Everyone looked back as the doors swung open. The Hanging Tree stepped forward leading a line of night elves behind them. They wore flowing black rags and chunky onyx jewelry. The citizens kept their eyes on the elves, some scowling, some snickering, and some cringing with disgust.

The Hanging Tree stepped aside, allowing the elves to step onstage. The eldest elf thanked and blessed the dryad for his services.

"I ask you all to welcome cleric Savon and his daughter, Stial, Xalagy, and Tibro, the Elders of Night Elf community."

"Drows?" The taller of the witch sisters cried. "You want _us_ to work with drow magic? This is an insult- an **outrage**!"

"They're not even _real_ ghouls!" Mr. Hyde argued.

"They're not real citizens either!"

"Drows aren't scary! You're out of your skull!"

"Weak, backwards creatures!"

"They have no place in the frightful!"

"Enough!" Edgar slammed his fist on the podium. "I asked Savon and his men to come here personally and I demand you all show them some respect!" He nodded to Savon, motioning for him to take his place at the podium.

Savon did as instructed. He looked out at the audience; his silver hair partially covered the deep scowl on his angular face. Edgar hadn't seen an elf with an aura so cold since Jack Frost. "I come here, away from the safety and protection of the forest, not for your benefit, but for ours." He began in a surprisingly high voice. "All the things your king promises we can deliver. As many of you may not know, my clan practices the art of illusion and distortion. The mind, are our canvas, nightmares our brush. Myself, I specialize in hallucinations. We offer our spells for the benefit of Halloween, but we demand access to the towns rescores. More specifically, trading opportunities with the witch community to further advance our studies."

"Not a chance!" The shorter witch sister shouted.

"Sit down, Zeldaborn." Edgar ordered. "You're help is greatly needed and would be much appreciated. However, I cannot officially count you as part of the frightful until you and you're community agrees to pledge your allegiance to the pumpkin crown."

Savon looked to the other elves and then to the audience. He fiddled with the moon pendant dangling from his neck. "As part of the frightful, we will no longer have to hide in the hinterlands? We will have all the same rights as these citizens?"

Edgar held out his hand. "I promise. We'll have to spend the next few weeks smoothing out the details though." He looked to the crowd. "What say the rest of you? Yes or no?"

It took several long sequences of bickering, but the majority of them voted yes.

"We agree to your demands. Will you join us?" Edgar offered Savon a handshake.

The elf did not accept. "I need more time to think this through. Trust is not established in ten minutes, young king. You will have my answer at a later date."

Edgar thanked the elves then permitted them to take their seats in the audience. He returned to the podium, more than slightly disappointed. "For the next order of business-"

"ED! I have a suggestion!" Lock shouted, raising his hand in the air.

"No you don't!" Edgar snapped. "You're just trying to distract me like always! Quit it!"

"But it's _important_!"

"NO IT'S NOT! SHUT UP!"

"You have to address him! It's Open Suggestion Night!" Barrel reminded him.

Edgar bashed his head against the podium. "Okay...What is it, Lock?"

"Can you install a snack bar in this dump? We're tired of bring our own!"

"Yeah! And better seats! I have a splinter!" Barrel added.

"Get them out of here!" Edgar ordered, pointing dramatically. The Behemoth and one of the larger gargoyles snatched them out of their seats and dragged them towards the door. Like always, they struggled, determined to make asses of themselves and Edgar the entire way.

"ANARCHY!" Lock cried, raising his fist to the ceiling. "Letter 'A' with a circle through it! YEAH!"

"I FIGHT AUTHORITY, AUTHORITY ALWAYS WINS-!" Barrel sang as loudly as he could.

Finally they were thrown out the door, but not before throwing their bags of popcorn at the stage. Edgar paused to burry his face in the podium and to collect his thoughts before continuing with the meeting. Even with Lock and barrel disposed of, things ran hectically at town Hall. Three grueling and only slightly productive hours later, the meeting ended.

Edgar took refuge in Shock's office after everyone had left. "Damn elves..." He grumbled, hunched over the table. "All they do is smoke pot and eat cookies! Santa has freaking elvish subjects, why not me?"

Shock entered moments later wearing a vexed expression. "What the hell was _that_?" She barked, pointing towards the stage.

"Hey! I've made it clear a thousand times, Lock and Barrel are not allowed in here during meetings! I know they're still pissed at me from yesterday, but jeezy freaking creezy!"

"I didn't let them in!" She swore. "And that's not what I meant. You snuck out and totally rearranged the frightful behind my back!"

"I wanted to strike while the iron was hot. It's been hundreds of years since the last territorial dispute. I figured now would be the best time for negotiations."

Shock's good eye twitched. "Well, next time discuss these things with me before you make any radical decisions."

"I don't see how including a race that has been dwelling in this world for thousands of years to the frightful is radical. Besides, I don't need _your_ approval for any decision I make, you need _my_ approval for every decision you make."

Shock clenched her fist. A knock at the door kept her from throttling him.

"It's me! May I come in?" Jack asked from behind the door.

"Sure."

He allowed Sally to enter first then shut the door behind him. "That was a very persuasive argument you made, Edgar. You're public speaking skills are starting to improve."

Edgar smirked. "And I didn't say 'fuck you' once."

Sally smiled. "You really impressed us, dear."

"Thanks mom."

"Try not to overestimate the results." Jack added. "You could set yourself and everyone else up for a huge disappointment that way."

"Sure, I- wait?" Edgar looked to him, offended. "I said my plan will raise Nightmare Rank and it will. I would never pitch an idea I didn't have full confidence in."

"All I meant was don't set your hopes too high. It's best not to spring huge changes on the citizens."

"Told you, dumbass!" Shock sneered.

Edgar frowned. "All this coming from Mr. 'I can handle Christmas too'!"

"Edgar Hoak Skellington!" Sally scolded him. "He's just trying to offer some advice. You're father has much more experience in these matters, so I suggest you listen to him."

Edgar bit his tongue. He could never bring himself to argue with his mother, even as an adult. "You're right. Sorry dad. I'll use a little more tact next time."

Jack nodded in approval. "I'll leave you to sort things out. Good afternoon, fellows. I'll see you two soon."

Edgar and Shock said their so longs. Shock sat, giving Edgar her nastiest blank stare.

"What?" He finally asked.

"You hit a real sore spot with your dad, you do know that, right?"

Edgar looked to his lap. "I know. I didn't mean to. I always manage to say the wrong thing around him... Dammit! Just once I'd like to do something right in his eyes."

Shock sighed. "Believe it or not, he's not your biggest critic, Ed, I am. I have to admit, even though you've been acting like a jerk-off lately, you've been churning out a lot of good ideas. Let's not push our luck too far though."

Edgar nodded in agreement. "Shock...I wanted to apologize for yesterday. I know I already did, but-"

"For the last time, don't worry about it. So I have to tilt my hat down for a few days, big deal."

"Wouldn't you like an explanation for, you know, why I lost it?" He asked soberly.

Shock shrugged. "Alright, whatever makes you feel better."

Edgar swallowed a lump in his throat. "I was watching you in the pit- how you and Hatchet were screwing around..."

"Okay...and...?"

"And it got me angry because it's like you don't feel the same way about me anymore. You used to be my best friend. Now...I still love you, Shock."

Shock frowned. "Please tell me you're kidding."

"No, I'm not. I still love you."

Shock slammed her palms on the table. "You stupid ASSHOLE! You are not going to pull this bullshit on me again! I thought you moved past this already!"

"I thought so too. I mean, there have been others that I loved, but in the end, it never worked out for one reason or another, but _you've_ always been here for me. You've never cared about my wealth or power or any of that bullshit. You understand me and yet you _still_ find me enjoyable to be around. We have a connection that endures and I can't give that up."

Shock ran her fingers through her hair, resisting the urge to yank it out. "I am your friend, Ed. I don't want to be any more than that and I never will."

"Yeah, I know and its killing me."

"Do you have any idea how-how lame and pathetic you are?"

"I have an idea"

"Oh no, no you don't." Shock shook her head in disgust. "This has gone on waaay too long. Do you want to know why I never fell in love with you, Ed? You _really_ want to know why...? It's partly because I'm a raving bitch with hardly any emotions, but mostly because you're an irrational, foolish, self-absorbed, spoiled rotten little **puke** who does **stupid** **shit** like obsess over me even after I got married, had a kid and oh yeah, TOLD YOU A THOUSAND FUCKING TIMES I DON'T LOVE YOU _THAT_ WAY! I may be a sleazy, social climbing wart on face of Halloween, but you Ed, you are a worm! A sad, pitiful little **maggot** who never grew a spine long enough to earn my affections! How do you expect me or anyone else to respect a guy like you? Hu? HU?"

Edgar stared up at her. He wanted to cry. Shock naturally had that effect on people, but this time she made sure he talons cut deep. Still, he held back with all his might and calmly replied. "I can't."

Shock's expression softened. She breathed a heavy sigh as she sat back down. "Look, I'm sorry, that was a little harsh, but dammit, this is getting old." She looked up, making full eye contact. "You said there were others. Why give up on them so quickly?"

"They're long gone, probably forgotten about me and moved on." He explained.

"Somehow I doubt that. You're hard to forget, trust me." She smiled, not grinned, but genuinely smiled. "Who knows, maybe if you persisted for those other girls like you do me, you might get lucky."

Edgar chuckled. "A lot of good persistence did me. You probably don't want to hang out with me ever again after that embarrassing rant."

Shock stretched in her chair, yawing. "Actually, after a meeting like that, I'm ready to get hammered. Want to stop by Mr. Hyde's tonight?"

Edgar snickered. "Damn straight, I do."

"Great. I'll get Tweedle Twit and Tweedle Twat to come along. You do realize they were just busting your chops, right? I'll chew them out at the tree house tonight, tell them to knock it off."

"Aw, don't bother. It's fun listening to them rip on me. They're the only reason I'm able to stay awake on stage." Edgar stood and adjusted his jacket. "I'll meet you guys there around ten-o-clock. I have something to take care of first."

"Wait!" She ordered. "You better not pull any more stupid stunts for at least two months or I'll stomp your fucking skull in." She warned, giving him the 'evil monkey' point. "I'm up to my eyeballs in paperwork as it is."

"Don't worry." He assured her with a slick skeleton grin. "My next idea is flawless."

Before Shock could protest, he rushed out the door. Edgar sighed as he stepped out into the streets, blocking the rays of the setting jack-o-lantern sun from his eye sockets. He kicked himself up and down for opening his big mouth to Shock. He made a mental vow to move on, lest he lose Shock's friendship completely.

He hurt inside. He had been for a long time and he would continue to for a while longer, but he had to let go. She was right. His infatuation with her (plus his total lack of reason or focus) had lead to one failed relationship after another. If he spent the rest of his afterlife dwelling on things that would never be, then he had nothing to look forward to but mistakes and loneliness.

He headed for the witch's community, following the array of shops and kiosks to what looked to be a huge pile of stones and rubble. It was in fact, the catacomb entrance. He struggled to push aside the large stone slab blocking the entrance. When he made a crack just large enough to slip through, he took a breath, swallowed his pride, and descended into the darkness.

The smell of mold filled the air as he traveled deeper and deeper through the passageways. Edgar followed the lit torches on the wall with his head held high. He needed to look professional. It's not every day a scare calls for the aid of warlock sorcery...

a/n: 'House of the Rising Sun' is by The Animals. I have no idea who wrote the song Barrel was singing. Do any of you know? I can't remember who wrote it and its driving me crazy. Um...I'm fully aware of how terrible every aspect of this fic is. I apologize to all who have lost faith in fanfiction because of this. Please, bare with me. All this nonsensical crap will be important later on.

P.S.: Just in case anyone is wondering, Barrel is Tweedle Twit, Lock is Tweedle Twat.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Magic Touch

Edgar searched through several chambers. He found books, burning candles, trunks filled with charms, jewelry, and other artifacts. He found hand carved furniture, pots, knives, and cooking utensils of all kinds, but no trace of the warlocks who used them.

An open doorway lead to yet another corridor only this time Edgar could smell the distinct scent of smoke drifting by. He kept silent, not even his footsteps echoed. He had never witnessed their worshiping sessions for himself, but it was a well-known fact in Halloween Town that warlocks hated interruptions.

Edgar found the warlocks in what appeared to be an underground temple. They stood in a huge circle each working over a bubbling caldron. Their young apprentices studied them, taking notes to improve their own skills.

Edgar spotted Hatchet form the doorway surrounded by candles. With his wand in one hand the other free, he made the water dance in midair. The stagnant green liquid churned this way and that, guided by the flicking of his wrist. The other warlocks performed the same trick, some more successfully than others.

The eldest warlock noticed Edgar staring. "We have a visitor, my brothers" He announced in a weak, raspy voice.

The realization of Edgar's presence broke the others' concentration. Their power over the water vanished and it dropped into the caldrons making big splashes. The wet warlocks gave Edgar a nasty group stare. He nervously cleared his throat. "Forgive my intrusion, Elder Thannen. I come here on Halloween business."

"Your business is our business. Our Pumpkin King is always welcomed. Come in." Thannen beckoned him forth with a curl of his gnarled, warty hand.

Despite royal etiquette, Edgar approached him. It was obvious Thannen had one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. His hunched, emaciated frame seemed to be shrinking into his robes. His white, thinning hair fell to his knees, attracting lice, spiders and earwigs. Edgar tried not to look disturbed. Witches and warlocks may take hundreds of years to age, but they age even less gracefully than humans do.

He bowed to Thannen and the others. "Thank you for the warm welcome. I promise to be brief. I came here to ask a favor of you. I need imps for the frightful. The scariest, nastiest imps you can conjure."

Thannen rubbed his pointy chin in thought. "Sadly, I am far too old and feeble to attempt such a feat of magic and most of my young brothers lack the experience. Brother Hatchet, however, is fluent in both white and necromantic spells. He could conjure the type of imp you need." He grinned, although his face remained hidden by the shadow of his hat. "He will assist you, right brother Hatchet?"

Hatchet frowned. "Yes elder."

"Thank you." Edgar shook his hand then immediately rushed over to Hatchet.

"Hi, Ed." Caliber greeted him from his work stand.

"Hey, Cal'. Crazy spells you guys are casting. What's it for? Purifying the drinking water or something?"

"That's none of your concern" Hatchet hissed.

"It's just for show" Caliber whispered.

Hatchet glanced back at him, scolding. "You have a lot of balls showing your face around me, Edgar. You're lucky I don't break every bone in your body!"

"You'd break every bone in _your_ body trying!" Edgar shook his head, forcing himself to back off. "Look, let's not do this. Bickering like lumplings won't get us anywhere."

Hatchet looked to his brothers who had continued with their manipulation spells. He sighed, defeated. "Fine. Follow me to the library. We'll talk there."

Caliber looked up at them, confused and slightly unnerved (Hatchet had failed to mention the birthday party). Hatchet turned to him with a stern expression on his face. "Finnish recording your observations then clean up here. We'll continue our lesson later."

"But-"

Hatchet tightened his fist on his wand. Caliber started to write again before he could raise it. "Yes, dad."

Hatchet nodded his head in approval. "This way..."

Edgar looked back at the young apprentice as Hatchet led him away from the temple. He had seen that look of boredom and oppression in Shock's eyes years back when she had been forced to work in the witches shop. "You take his studies seriously, hu?"

"He is diligent, but unenthusiastic. He gets it from his cousins. They keep distracting him with tick-or-treating and all these ridiculous ideas about forming a band."

"Oh come on, you really believe Hal' and AP are corrupting him?"

"No...I said they distract him from what's really important."

"Tricks and music are import to them. I've heard Cal' drum before. He could be really great someday. You ever let him practice? It might be god for him, you know? I used to be home schooled myself and it used to get real monotonous-"

He frowned darkly as he packed his wooden pipe. "You didn't come here to discuss how I raise my son. Tell me what you want so we can get on with our lives."

Edgar grinned as he leaned against the wall. "Before I do that, let's get one thing straight. I hate you and you hate me, right?"

"Agreed." Hatchet replied, exhaling a cloud of smoke in his face.

"And our hatred for each other puts a lot of stress on Shock, am I right?"

He shrugged. "I suppose."

"And neither of us wants to stress her out, so I feel it would take a huge load of everyone's shoulders if you and I let bygones be bygones and try to work together."

Hatchet shook his head no. "Give me one good reason why I should help you with anything?"

"I can pay you."

"A spell cast for money is a spell cast in vain."

"Do we all look like ants when you're up on your pedestal?" Edgar sneered sarcastically. "How about this? If you conjure a group of imps to scare under my command I won't try to peek up Shock's skirt or toss quarters in her cleavage during our lunch breaks ever again, deal?" He offered Hatchet a handshake.

He studied Edgar very carefully. "You have not swayed me."

"That and I won't throw in you in a prison cell for refusing a direct order from the Pumpkin King and slowing down the progress of Halloween."

Still, he seemed hesitant. "Admit you're foolish oaf who's not good enough for her or this town and we have a deal."

Edgar sighed. "Fine, I admit it. Happy, asshole?"

Hatchet's black lips formed a thin, smug grin. "Excellent." He said as he took Edgar's hand and shook. "I know exactly what you're looking for." He glanced over a large bookcase and pried a large book from the third shelf. He flipped the pages, skimming through the ancient text until he found the desired incantation.

"Will this take long?" Edgar asked, watching Hatchet grind several plants into a thick, gooey paste.

"Don't look over my shoulder, skeleton!" He snapped. "This takes concentration, something you know nothing about."

Edgar backed away, hands raised. "Whatever, wand-jockey. I'll be over here if you need me." He folded his arms in front of his chest as he leaned against the bookcase, pouting. "If you screw me over, the whole deal is off, got it?"

Hatchet knelt down and started to paint an intricate circular pattern on the floor. "Got it. I'm going to recite the spell. You have to memorize your lines or it won't work. Can you do that?"

"If they sound anything like Iron Maiden, King Diamond or Black Sabbath lyrics, I'll be fine..."

Underground, but miles away, another ritual was in progress. Gore paced (or rather hovered back and forth over) the floor. He and Dixie's ghostly bodies were the only source of light in what appeared to him as a medieval dungeon with a Las Vegas twist.

Noogie sat on the pile of bug-filled cages stacked in the corner. After flicking some dangling chains out of his face he noticed Gore's displays of anxiety. "What's the matter, you don't feel at home?"

Gore looked over his shoulder. "No, its not that. This lair of yours kicks major ass. I'm just trying to figure out what in the hell we're doing down here."

"You'll see." Noogie answered. "Hey, babe, you almost done or what?"

Dixie sat at a large table, sewing the burlap material she had retrieved as quickly as she could. "Hold on!" She snapped. "I'm not a fucking tailor."

Gore smirked. "Yeah, she's useless when it comes to any household stuff. You really picked a winner, Noogie."

"Shut up!" She barked.

"Aw, leave your sister alone." Noogie teased. "This will only work if it's done by a chick, remember? Besides, I don't care if she puts the stupid dick back together perfectly anyways."

Gore blinked, confused. "What?"

"There..." She sighed with relief, holding up the finished project."

Noogie laughed. "Nice! He looks good as new. A few patches here and there never hurt anybody, right asshole?" He asked the empty sack, slapping it across the face."

Gore scratched his head. "We've spent the last ten hours sewing a nasty old pillow case together? What the fuck are you trying to pull, man?"

"Noogie knows what he's doing!" Dixie scolded him.

"Damn straight, I do" Noogie added, giving her a playful slap across the butt. "That was the hard part, now for the fun part..." He reached into his throat and pulled out a bug then replaced it by eating a bug from the cage. "Stuff this little fucker in the sack, Dixie. Make sure it doesn't crawl out."

She carefully did as instructed. They repeated the process over an over. Noogie would cough up an insect from inside of him, Dixie fed it to the sack. One by one Noogie replaced his old bugs with new ones and the deflated sack slowly began to fill up and take shape.

Gore watched silently for the longest time. He remained clueless until the sack began to develop a very familiar face. "Is...Is that thing a person?"

Noogie replied with muffled gargles due to his tentacle-like arm down his throat. He yanked it out, coughing before giving a coherent answer. "It's not just any person. This is the baddest boogieman to ever haunt Halloween" He frowned, breathing a begrudged sigh. "Damn it all to Hell! We're missing a snake! Oh well. We'll look for one in the morning. It shouldn't be hard." He looked down at his lifeless fellow boogieman with a deep scowl. "All these years and I still don't feel like listening to his fucking mouth..."

Noogie turned away. "Come on, guys. Let's call it a night."

Dixie immediately rushed over to his side. Gore hesitated. "Hey! Should I, like, stand watch or something?"

"Good idea" Noogie agreed. "See, this is why I work with you. You actually think."

Gore smiled. "Night, guys. Have fun." The others disappeared from sight. With only his thoughts, Gore lifted a huge, antique armchair and over to the middle of the room. He sat, leaning back in luxury. He was beginning to fall in love with Halloween. The more of it he saw the clearer an image of him standing over the town, crowned king became. He was grateful Dixie had hooked up with guy like Noogie. Not only was he a metal mastermind, but he took care of her the way Gore always felt she should be taken care of. It was a shame she hadn't been so lucky _before_ she died.

It didn't matter now. He and his banshee sister had a sweet gig going, sweeter than any tour they had trailed. Gore began to laugh. "I have to admit. I'm starting to dig this whole taking over thing..."

Late that night, Barrel strolled into Mr. Hyde's Elixirs and Liquors with Hester on his arm. They saw Shock sitting alone, sipping on her drink. Barrel snuck up behind her and yelled 'BOO!"

Shock jumped, startled. "You ass!" She spat, slapping Barrel with his hat.

He and Hester couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry, I had to do it."

Shock smirked. "Shut up and sit down. HYDE!" She shouted over to the counter. "Two bottles of scotch!"

"Thanks" Hester adjusted her headscarf. "I feel like trash. We look awful."

"What do you expect to look like after ten hours in the pumpkin patch?" Barrel smiled, more than willing to embrace the dirt and grime accumulated on his body after a long day's work. "Relax, it's dead tonight anyways."

"Got that right." Shock looked at the three empty seats across from her. "Where the fuck is Lock?"

"He's at the tree house. Said he wanted to spend some time alone with Thicket." Hester answered.

"In other words, he's being a pussy!"

Shock snickered. "Aw, its good for him to get away from us once in a while."

"Wasn't Edgar supposed to meet us here too?" Barrel asked, looking around the shabby, dimly lit room. "He's usually the first on here."

"I don't know where the hell he went. I haven't seen him since after the town meeting. Thanks for being your usual courteous selves, by the way." She sneered sarcastically.

"Oh come on, that was funny!" Barrel said in his defense.

"Yeah, but-"

"A scotch for the big guy and the little lady!" The second smallest Mr. Hyde hopped on the table and handed them their drinks."

Barrel tipped his bottle and took a quick swig. "Thanks, man."

"So Ed's been missing all day?" Hester continued the conversation, as is her duty when Barrel is busy drinking.

"Yup. He just took off. Said he had something to take care of." She snorted. "Whatever. Knowing him, he's probably doing something doing something **stupid**."

"Maybe we should look for him. He might be getting into trouble again."

"Fuck him. We're not his keepers. We can pay for our own drinks tonight." Barrel declined. I'm still kind of pissed at him anyways."

Shock tipped her hat a little farther just in case the bruise was showing. "Give him a break. He's under a lot of pressure."

"A little pressure applied with these and his skull will collapse." Barrel added, pretending to squeeze an invisible head.

Hester elbowed him. "You're a jerk."

"What else is new?" Shock smirked. "Tell Lock he's coming with you and me to the manor tomorrow morning. I want to find out what Ed's up to."

a/n: No new reviews yet. That makes me a very sad panda (.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Edgar's Minions

Lock, Shock and Barrel stood outside the front gate of Skellington Manor. "You go first!" Shock ordered, pushing Lock forward.

Lock squirmed out of her grip and pushed her back. "Ladies first!"

"Don't pull that crap on me now! You're the ones who keep screwing with his head! You see what's wrong with him!"

"You're the one who keeps breaking his heart and stripping him of his manhood!" Barrel argued. "You see what's wrong with him!"

"The guilt trips won't work so don't even try!"

Barrel threw Shock over his shoulder.

She kicked and struggled. "Put me down! I said put me down! Keep snickering Lock! I'll knock that grin to the other side of your fucking face!"

"How about we _all_ go in?" Lock suggested.

Barrel dropped Shock to her feet. "Okay. Lead the way, mayor."

Shock begrudgingly went first after all. She didn't bother to wring the bell or knock, just waltz in as always. "ED! Hey Ed, you awake?"

The trio paused to listen, but received no reply. "He must still be sleeping" Barrel guessed.

"He better not be!" Shock barked. "Roll up some newspapers. Some one's getting a morning spanking!"

"Wait!" Lock cried. "Listen..."

The trio stood silently. At first, they heard nothing, but the faint sound of a conversation and laughter caught their attention.

Barrel smiled. "Sounds like Ed."

"Where is he?" Lock asked.

Shock rubbed her chin in thought. "The dinning room!" She began to run across the living room and into the kitchen. The others followed. Shock burst through the double doors to the dinning room, but screeched to halt.

Lock and Barrel bumped into her, nearly running her over. "What the fuck, Shock?" Lock sneered, fixing his hair.

Shock's face froze with terror. She pointed to the table, mouth agape. The moment Lock and Barrel spotted the creatures on the table they froze as well. Five child-sized monsters with tight rotting skin covering most of their boney frame but their skulls hovered over the table. Their bat-like wings flailed as they climbed over each other, sinking their talons and fangs into a big pile of rotted butcher meat.

"Morning" Edgar greeted them from the corner of the room.

Hatchet stood next to him, smiling proudly as he held up his pipe. "Shock, since I'm here, you want to go to breakfast with me?"

She shook her head in disbelief, unable to acknowledge Hatchet's offer. "Wha- what the hell is going on here? And what the in the name of pile driving _fuck_ are those things?"

"Aren't they awesome?" He began excitedly. "Hatchet conjured them for me! That one's Kirk and that one's Goethe, the one with the tail is Skelter, the chubby one's Bill and that one's Ripper."

Hatchet put his arm around Edgar's shoulder. "We've been up all night helping them develop their wing-eye coordination and the results have been extraordinary. I hate to admit it, but Ed isn't completely incompetent after all."

"Cool!" Lock and Barrel cheered in unison, shoving Shock aside.

"Are they bloodthirsty?"

"Can they really fly?"

"Can I touch one?"

"You have a Skelter, but no Helter?"

Shock elbowed them in their sides. "Ed...Please tell me you're not raising an army of sliths."

"It's more like a militia. It's the shit! I've always wanted my own minions and they work perfectly. They do everything I ask them to: wash my dishes, fetch me beer, pester Wrath, massage my feet, everything! Come here, guys! Say hello!"

Kirk and Ripper flew into Edgar's arms and enwrapped him in their wings. The others flew over to Lock and Barrel and perched themselves on their shoulders. "Aren't they hideous? I'm going to train them for Halloween!"

"Quite a feat of magic, wouldn't you say?" Hatchet boasted. "No one has resurrected a slith in over a hundred years."

"Uh, yeah! Because they're illegal!" Shock cried, slapping his hat off the back of his head. "What the fuck were you two thinking? You could get into some real deep shit for this!"

"I have it covered" Edgar assured her. He reached into his jacket and pulled out an old scroll of paper. "See? Article nineteen, section F of 'The Pumpkin King's Authoritarian Rights and Rules of Conduct' states that the pumpkin king, that's me, is permitted to domesticate any and all beasts, demons, and semi sentient monsters spawned within Halloween Town. This applies so long as set creatures act under the kings full control and their abilities are directed solely to benefit the frightful." He recited the law triumphantly. "I didn't sit through hours and hours of dad's lectures not to recognize a loophole or two."

"You're totally abusing your power!" Shock warned.

"Hey, what's the point of having power if you can't abuse it?" Lock interjected. "If Ed found a way to beat the system more power to him."

"It's not like this is the first time I've abused my power," Edgar reminded her. "In fact, if I didn't, all three of you would be rotting in a jail cell right now."

Shock crossed her arms. "How do you figure?"

Edgar reached over his wine rack and pulled out a black folder two feet thick. "I have here your criminal records. Do you want me to go over your adult charges only or should I throw in your juvenile charges too?"

"Holy shit!" Barrel gasped. "You keep our criminal records in your dining room?"

"I have copies stashed in every room of this house, just in case I need them for blackmail." Edgar cleared his throat. "Between the three of you, _all_ offenses add up to 115 counts of unarmed robbery, 79 counts of armed robbery, 27 counts of assault, 66 counts of domestic disturbance, 4 counts of child neglect, 8 counts of indecent exposure-"

"Those were all Lock's!" Barrel interrupted.

"One count of kidnapping and intent of murder, 971 counts of vandalism to public/ private property, 805 counts of trespassing, 953 counts of disturbing the peace, 161 counts of sexual harassment-"

"Again, all Lock."

"Some of them were yours!"

"Dude, we should have totally been hung by now!" Barrel stated just a little too proudly.

"I know!" Lock gave him a high five.

"Shut up morons." Shock sneered. "Are you done?"

"Not even close. Nineteen counts of violating restraining orders, 31 counts of breaking and entering, 22 counts of soliciting a minor-"

"But we were minors too!"

"24 counts of endangering a minor, 10 counts of possessing illegal substances, 18 counts of arson-"

'Okay! Okay! We get it! You've bailed us out on many occasions. Thank you Ed, we're eternally grateful, but the slith thing is still a bad idea!" Shock snapped.

"Some rules are meant to be broken." Hatchet replied. "Imp conjuring is a major part of my religious practice and to deny me the freedom to conduct the ritual violates my rights as a citizen. I'm prepared to take the case to court if need be."

Edgar smirked. "God, I love politics."

Shock stared at them until her eye twitched with fury. "I can't fucking believe this! You two finally find a way to get along and you manage to piss me off worse than you ever did separately! I've come to expect this level of bo-tardation from Ed, but you, Hatchet? I should jam my foot up both your asses!"

"What are you freaking out about? I told you, I found a loophole. No one can persecute me for _owning_ Sliths and I agreed to leave Hatchet's name out of this completely." Edgar hugged his sliths tightly. "Besides, look at 'em! They're so damn cute and squishy! Aren't you, buddies?"

"That's not the point! Did Hatchet bother to tell you _why_ sliths were outlawed? They don't stay 'cute and squishy' forever! They get big! Really big! They'll become too vicious for you to control way before Halloween!"

"Sliths are simple, stupid creatures spawned to obey their master's every command." Hatchet reminded her. "A ghoul with as much wealth and resources as Edgar will be able to cater to them no matter how big and nasty they get. As long as I'm here to discipline them, nothing will happen."

Shock shook her head in frustration. "Fine, you two stay here and bask in your dumbass glory; I'll be at Town Hall _not_ screwing everything up!"

"Aw, lighten up, Shock. They're cool!" Barrel fiddled with Goethe's chipped canine as it gnawed gently on his forearm.

"And if it doesn't work out after all we can eat them!" Lock eyed Bill with a hungry look in his eye. "Ed, do you really need five of them? This one's fat already." He turned to dig through the cabinets and silverware drawers. "Where do you keep your hammers? One good crack over the skull and I'll have us a three course meal by noon."

Bill flew to Edgar and clung to his legs in terror. "No!" It whimpered.

"Knock it off, Lock." Edgar scolded him. "You're scaring him."

"It" Lock reminded him. "I'm scaring _it_. Found one!" Lock revealed a hammer from the junk drawer. With a devilish grin, he tiptoed over to Bill, taping the brunt end of the hammer in his palm.

"Wait!" Edgar cried, struggling to maintain his balance as Bill tightened his grip. "You're being serious? People actually _eat_ sliths?"

"Sure! It's a warlock delicacy. I've never had it, but some of the older brothers told me it's better than veal."

Hatchet began to feel hungry as well. He had never had the luxury of tasting slith meat, but he sure wanted to give it a try. "Breakfast does sound good right now. Bill's too heavy to fly well. We might as well eat him."

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Edgar backed away motioning for his sliths to hide behind him. "No one is eating anybody! I didn't have you conjure them just to club them over the head like a calf!"

Lock sighed, disappointed as he lowered the hammer. "Fine, if you're going to be a hippy about it."

Barrel shrugged. "I'd feel kind of guilty for eating it anyways. It looks too much like a person."

"It is a person!" Edgar corrected him. "If you'll excuse us, my minions and I have training to do. Come on! Out back, fellows, quickly."

Hatchet shook his hand. "Nice doing business with you."

"It wasn't the worst experience of my existence. Later, man."

Shock scowled at them. "Okay, Ed. Go ahead and teach them to juggle body parts or whatever the hell it is you plan to do with them. I'll continue bitching you out later. Hatchet can come with me and get bitched out now."

Hatchet swallowed the lump in his throat before joining Shock by her side. Lock, Barrel and Edgar exchanged metal salutes before parting. Afterwards, Edgar led his minions to the back yard (or plateau however you want to look at it). A night with no sleep left him weary, but the excitement kept him awake and alert for training.

"Come on, guys, up in the air! Move! Move! Move!"

Back at the tree house, Alia and Halberd awoke to feeling of someone nudging their shoulders.

"Guys...Guys...? GUYS!"

Alia shot upright. "Wha-? Cal'? How'd you get here?"

Caliber kept the hood of his purple robes over his face to block out any rays of morning sunshine that crept through the cracks. "I snuck up here through the casino a few hours ago. Have you seen my dad? He left last night with Ed and I haven't seen him since."

Alia's eyes became wide as saucers. "No freaking way! HAL'!" She screeched, slapping her snoring cousin across the face.

Finally, Halberd awoke. "The sheets are dry!" He shouted through a drowsy haze.

"Shut up stupid. It's Cal'. He says uncle Hatchet left the catacombs with uncle Ed last night."

Halberd scratched his head in confusion. "Whoa, really? What does that mean?"

Caliber shrugged. "Whatever it means, it can't be good. They hate each other, I mean, like, death wish hate each other."

"You think they had a fist fight or something?" Alia guessed.

"Aw, dude! I'd pay to see that!" Halberd added.

Caliber rubbed his chin in thought. "Somehow I doubt it. Ed came into the prayer chamber yesterday during our exercises. Said he needed a favor."

"Weird...We should go find Gregor, ask if he knows anything about it."

"Or we could sneak over to the manor and investigate."

Caliber shushed them. "I think I hear our folks!"

The trio scurried to the other room where ladder connected a hole in the floor to the casino below. They pushed and shoved until all three of their heads could get a clear view.

Lock jumped down first, landing just an inch away from where Thicket was sweeping up litter. She jumped, startled.

"Hey babe" He greeted her with a slap on the ass.

"Dammit Lock, stop doing that!" She scolded him.

"Don't try to act like you're not glad to see me." He smirked.

"Why should she be? You guys took off and left us to clean up!" Hester sneered from the bar as she washed the glasses and sorted the empty beer bottles.

Barrel hopped over the counter and started to wipe it clean. "Sorry, we went looking for Ed."

"Did you ever find out what he was up to?" Thicket asked.

"Sure did!" Shock hissed, dragging Hatchet into the casino by his ear. "Tard-bones and his accomplice Dipshit the All-Powerful here spent the night raising sliths!"

Thicket gasped. Hester looked confused. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Sliths are the forbidden imps." Thicket explained. "Hatchet, why would you do such a thing?"

"It was- Ow! - Edgar's idea!" He explained, jerking free from Shock's clutches. "He was looking for something big and bad for the frightful and I delivered."

"You were just trying to trick him into getting himself in trouble!" Shock snapped. "Dammit, you're supposed to be the responsible one around here! What the fuck happened?"

"Alright, alright, so I didn't exactly inform him of the consequences." He admitted. "But he's the damn pumpkin king! It's his job to research this stuff. If he chooses to be careless with his duties, that's his problem!"

Shock pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "I am _this_ fucking close to ripping your pecker off and feeding it to you! You know what you did was wrong and so help me if Ed or anyone else gets hurt because of this, I'm going to throw those sliths in a pit and dangle you over them!"

The trio couldn't help but snicker. "Yeah! F-bombs! Aunty Shock is kicking ass down there!" Nothing was quite as entertaining to Halberd like the sound of adults cursing.

Caliber was not quite so amused. "Sliths, hu? So that's what they were up to. Oh crap, this is going to bite us in the ass later."

"Why? Are they super deadly or something?" Alia asked.

"If you'd pick up a spell book once in a while you'd know that, dildo."

"Kiss my ass!"

"Suck my cock!"

"Shut up!" Halberd ordered. "I'm trying to hear..."

"Noogie! Noogie! I think he's waking up!" Dixie hovered a few steps back as the giant sack began to stir and groan.

Noogie stepped forward. "Oogie? Oogie it's me. You awake?" He asked, waving an arm in front of Oogie's face.

Groaning, Oogie rubbed his aching head until his vision cleared. "Noogie? Is that you? Wha- what happened?" Suddenly the memory of his last encounter with Jack rushed back to him. "That boney **son of a bitch**! I'll- I'll-" Oogie tried to stand, but his weak, wobbly legs gave out from underneath him.

He landed on the ground with a heavy _thud_, shaking loose some dirt and sediment on the ceiling. Dixie clung to gore, frightened. "Calm down, Oogie. You don't have much strength right now. We had to sew you back together. Jack tore you up pretty good."

"Did he now?" He hissed, clenching the tips of his arms into a fist. "He can't be far. I'll hunt him down and...Wait...When did you get back to town? I thought you became a roadie for one those shitty metal bands you _love_ so much."

"Hey, man, Metal is **not** shitty!" Gore barked defensively. "And roadies are the back bone of every concert!"

"Who's this jerk-off?" Oogie sneered up at the poltergeist. "And who's the doll face with him?"

Dixie giggled, flattered. Noogie motioned for her to be quiet. "This is Dixie, my wife and that's her brother Gore. They're going to help us get back at Jack and take over the town like we always planned."

Oogie laughed until he began to choke. "The last I checked, you ran away like the little pussy you are and left the takeovers up to me."

"Bullshit I did! You framed me for all the crap you pulled and got me banished for it!"

"Oh yeah? If I betrayed you so badly why are you trying to team up again?"

Noogie scowled down at his older brother. It took him a moment, but he swallowed his pride and answered, "Because you always came up with better schemes, okay? You're a ruthless, arrogant dickhole, but you're a better leader than I could ever be. We accomplished much more as a team than we ever did separately. So what do you say?" Noogie offered Oogie a handshake. "Boogie brothers?"

Oogie smirked. "I knew it. You're a failure without me." He shook. "Boogie brothers." He paused for a moment, taking a good long look at Noogie. His face contorted as he struggled to regain his memory. "You look different. Where did all those stupid band patches come from? And when the hell did you get married? H-how long did I stay ripped apart?"

Noogie grimaced. "Well, on December 31st, it'll be...thirty years..."

Oogie's eyes burst open wide. His body stiffened and his expression hardened with rage. Fury finally replaced shock and Oogie snapped. "Thirty years? THIRTY YEARS?" He screamed, lunging forward to give Noogie the throttling of his afterlife. "You waited thirty goddamn years to sew me back together? You worthless piece of shit! How could you fucking do this to me? I'll kill you! You cock-sucking wretch! I'll fucking kill you!"

Dixie and Gore flew to the rescue. They tugged on Noogie until they yanked him out of Oogie's rapidly weakening grip. Oogie fell to his knees, panting from exhaustion. Noogie rubbed his throat, struggling to take in air.

"I take everything back," Oogie hissed. "You're not my brother! You're fucking dead to me, Noogie! Double dead! Take your whore wife and your dipstick lackey and you're fucking plans and shove it up your ass!"

"Not so fast!" Noogie snapped. "You need us much more than you think."

"What would I _you_ idiots for?"

"To help you recover for starters." Dixie sneered.

"And to help you get your casino back." Noogie added.

"My casino? Who could have possible taken over...?" Oogie froze. "Lock, Shock and Barrel..."

a/n: Yay another review! So happy! Still, more would be greatly appriciated. Um, the next two chapters will be a little slow and chaotic, but they're important to the story line and a good read if you're stoned...or just odd in the head. Either one I'll take. Thanks for reading. Rock on, guys.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Dorks Can Fly

Edgar was eager to train his new minions, but much more eager to show them off. He strolled down the street with his sliths behind him, flying overhead in a v-formation. To Edgar's dismay, they flew much smoother in daylight. The night before they hid in the trashcans, cowering from the darkness. It took begging and bribery to get them to come out and fly. In sunlight, however, they soared willingly and with ease. Edgar made a mental note to focus on their night stalking skills.

Ethan and Kytuk were Edgar's first victims. Once he made the signal, the sliths swooped down at them, screeching viciously until the corpse and mummy were forced to duck under the Witch's Shop. Ripper trailed Bat Boy in the air for a solid twenty minutes before the gargoyle caught on and threatened to take a crap on Edgar's roof. He ordered Ripper to retreat before a dogfight broke out.

Dr. Finklestein met their acquaintance next. Edgar herded them into the laboratory, making no effort to monitor their behavior. They rammed into walls, crawled on the ceilings, played catch with fragile equipment, drank, spilled, and mixed toxic chemicals and perched themselves on the back of the doctor's wheelchair. Their shenanigans gave Edgar and Igor shared a good laugh, but Dr. Finklestein found no humor in the situation.

After receiving several insults, threats and a mighty blow to the back of his head from a hardcover mechanic's handbook, Edgar finally took his grandfather's hint. Jewel escorted them out with a stern warning.

Edgar sat by the fountain, yawning heavily as he struggled to think. The day was still young and there were still so many people to annoy, but who to bother next? The sliths landed by his feet, waiting patiently for orders. "Don't you ever get tired?" He asked them, rubbing his eye sockets.

Kirk (who from the beginning established himself as the alpha slith) motioned for a huddle. Edgar leaned forward in an attempt to listen in, but he couldn't make out their conversation. All he heard was a bunch of purrs, clicks, and chirps.

Finally, they broke their huddle. They looked to Edgar intensely. He backed away, uncomfortable. "Whoa, w-what are you doing?"

"Don't worry, master." Kirk said cheerfully. "We'll carry you."

"Do what n-?" Just before his behind slipped off the edge and into the water, a slith snatched each of his limbs with their feet and flew off.

Edgar looked down at the town below. He screamed at first, but once he realized his minions did not intend to drop him. Kirk flew a few yards below him in case they did.

"WOOOOO!" Edgar cried joyfully, flashing the metal salutes to the citizens who stared up at him in shock. "LOOK AT ME! I'M FREAKING AIRBORN!"

Edgar smiled as the wind whooshed against his face, causing his hair dance madly behind him. He looked down and spotted the entrance gate to the cemetery. "DROP ME OFF AT SPIRAL HILL, FELLOWS!"

The sliths did as instructed, although much less gently than Edgar would have liked. After pulling himself to his feet, brushing his clothes off and spitting the dirt out of his teeth, Edgar searched the cemetery grounds for Jack.

He held his hand over his eyes to block out the sun. "Do any of you see my dad? He's a skeleton, like me, but he's bald with super bad teeth."

Goethe was the first to spot Jack. It tugged on Edgar's shirttails, pointing into the distance. Edgar looked towards the direction, but couldn't see far enough into the horizon. "Are you sure you see him?"

Goethe nodded yes.

Edgar pulled out a pen and notepad from his ribcage. "Note to self; have keen eyesight- use for reconnaissance... Okay, lead on, guys."

The flock flew off. Edgar ran after him, struggling to keep them in his sight. He tripped over a tombstone in the process, but luckily landed in Jack's general direction. The sliths hid in the trees. Edgar observed his father from the ground.

Jack struggled to break apart a damaged set of stone steps to one of the older mausoleums. He would have to chisel new steps that evening. Edgar couldn't help but snicker at his father's lack of progress.

He pounded away at the steps with his sledgehammer, lifted it above his head, and swung down hard- too hard. Jack dropped the hammer, holding his aching spine with one hand and muffling his groans of agony with the other.

Edgar looked away, in pain just witnessing that. He looked up to find his sliths awaiting his orders anxiously. "Um, change of plan, guys. Don't bother dad right now, he's kind of busy." He didn't have the heart to disturb Jack at a time like this. "Bring me Gregor instead."

"Which one is Gregor?" Bill asked.

"The pretty one!"

Satisfied with that description, the sliths scattered. Jack jumped, startled by the rustling overhead. He looked to the sky, found nothing, then looked towards the ground. He spotted Edgar on his knees and immediately rushed over to his side.

"Edgar, was that you who made that noise?" He asked, pulling him to his feet.

"Uh, yeah. I tripped. Sorry about that."

"Are you here for inspection?"

"No, just taking a break." Edgar forced the mischievous grin off his face. "Maybe you should too. You screwed your back up."

"No I didn't." Jack winced in pain as he struggled to stand erect. "I'll be fine. I just need to pace myself."

Edgar gave him a blank stare. He should have known better. Jack would never admit he didn't have the strength for the task. His damn Skellington pride would always get in the way. "Hold still" Edgar ordered as he turned Jack around. "When I say 'now', take a deep breath and relax. And whatever you do, don't jerk your head."

Jack twitched nervously as Edgar grabbed his shoulders and placed his foot on the small of his back. "Wait! Don't-"

"Now!" With a pull and a push, Edgar realigned Jack's spine with a loud, swift _**CRACK**_!"

Jack bent over backwards, expecting to be crippled, but instead the pain had vanished completely. "Wow! That felt great. Thank you"

Edgar smiled. "No problem. I discovered that little trick after I-"

He was interrupted by a bloodcurdling scream. A large shadow appeared overhead. They jumped out of the way, allowing the object above to fall to the ground.

Unfortunately, the object was Sally. Jack and Edgar raced over to help her, but she pulled herself to her feet before they were needed.

"Sally, what happened?"

"Mom, are you okay?"

Sally glared at him as she tightened the stitches on her neck and arms. "Edgar what is the meaning of this?" She barked, pointing towards the sliths.

"I told you to fetch Gregor!" He scolded them. "Does she look like a Gregor to you?"

"She's pretty. You said find the pretty one." Skelter explained.

Edgar could feel the heat of his parents glaring eyes on the back of his neck. He turned to them, grinning. "Uh, sorry, that didn't quite go as planned."

"That wasn't funny" Sally scolded him. "I stepped outside to plant some weeds and they snatch me off the ground like a thistle."

"They wouldn't hurt a fly, mom, really. These are my new minions. I just got them yesterday." He scooped the flock in his arms and held them up proudly. "I plan to introduce them to the frightful on Halloween. I had to! They're just so cute and squishy!" Edgar shoved Kirk in Jack's face, beaming with an almost fatherly pride. "Look at 'em!"

He couldn't predict what Jack's reaction would be, but it wasn't like anything he expected. Jack stared into Kirk's eye sockets, sadly. He looked away. If Edgar hadn't known any better, he would have sworn Jack had a tear in his eye. "That's...great Edgar. Splendid." He said, backing away slowly. "I have to check on the topiary. I'm...I'm planting a huge maze. It should grow in completely by August."

Edgar scratched his head in confusion as Jack dashed away and out of sight. "But- but, squishy!" He set the sliths down, pouting. "I don't get it. What's his problem?"

Sally shook her head. "Oh, Edgar, why did you have to breed sliths?" She asked, scratching Skelter's scalp as it nuzzled against her leg.

"I thought it would be cool." He explained. "I expected a lecture from him, sure, but he's too pissed to even speak to me."

"He's not angry, dear" She assured him. "You're father gets choked up around sliths. He can't even look at a picture of them, much less a live one."

"Why?"

"It's a long story. Stop by the house for some lunch and I'll explain..."

Oogie paced around the chamber anxiously. "Take me to my casino!" He ordered, stomping his foot. "I don't care how damaged it is, I can take it!"

"You're still weak. You have to rest a few days." Dixie tried to seat him in the armchair, but he elbowed her away.

"I'm fine, God dammit! Take me to my casino!"

Gore hovered right up to his face. "Dude, will you chill out? It's probably going to take awhile before you regain your balance."

Oogie glared at him until he backed away. "I don't suppose Noogie has found a use for you yet?" He sneered. "So far, you've just been a thorn in my ass."

"I'm the one who's going to take the pumpkin king's place." Gore informed him with his chest out and head held high.

Oogie laughed. "How? Are you going to play the town a guitar solo and make them bow to your rocking might? HA! That only works in the videos, moron."

Gore scowled up at him. "I don't know who this Jack dude is, but Edgar Hoak Skellington is the guy I'm supposed to challenge. And for the record, I used to be drummer."

Oogie blinked, confused. "Jack resigned? I knew that hack couldn't defend his title for long. Left everything to his spoiled brat, hu?"

"Pretty much." Dixie answered.

Oogie placed an arm around Gore's shoulder. "Look, I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but when it comes to games of wits, Noogie is useless. Trust me; we're not going to accomplish anything by sitting around the old dungeons. While I'm stuck here recuperating, you should be out spying."

"Spying?"

"You know, sneak around, snoop, dig up some dirt. Who is Edgar? What are his strengths, his hang-ups, his goals? Who does he care about? What are his weaknesses? What does he have to hide? Come on, kid, you're a poltergeist for screeching out loud! Break into some homes, pick open some locks, do something!"

Gore rubbed his chin in thought. "I have been homing in on my energy lately. I could probably lift a truck right off the ground if I needed to."

"Good. You can walk through walls, right? Turn invisible, all that good stuff?"

"Oh yeah, I figured all that out before I could concentrate hard enough to take on a solid form."

"Okay then, get going!" Oogie ordered, pushing Gore towards the exit. "I can fix this whole situation to our advantage if you gather information first. Don't come back until you know that Edgar brat's mind inside and out!"

Gore flashed him the metal salute. "I'm on it. Later!" With that, he disappeared through the ceiling, leaving a trail of ectoplasmic residue behind.

"Noogie told us not to make a move until he gets back." She scolded the big sack of bugs.

Oogie waved a dismissive hand gesture at her. "Look, doll face, I'm in charge now. Nimrod and Numb-nuts are just pawns to me." He sat, trying to fight off his queasiness. "That reminds me, Nimrod better return with more bugs, quick, 'cause if he thinks thirty years of comatose will prevent me from kicking his sorry ass, he's wrong."

Dixie smirked, running her fingers through her wild, flowing hair. "Don't underestimate my Noogie." She warned. "The whole town will bow down at our feet when he's through, you'll see."

Oogie snickered. "Oh, I'm sure I will, babe." Suddenly, Oogie felt light headed. He tried to stay awake, but his eyelids became heavy and his breathing short. He passed out, slouching in the armchair. It would be a few days before all his former strength returned, but when it did, he intended to use every ounce for vengeance.

Everyone (minus Jack) sat around the kitchen table. Gregor scooted over as far as he could. "Edgar, tell them to back off!" He begged, attempting to swat them away. "They keep gnawing on my arm and sniffing me!"

"They like you" Edgar corrected him. "You'll get used to it."

Gregor sneered in disgust as the sliths picked at Edgar's scalp and gently used his arm bones for teething. "Mom..."

"Just ignore them, dear." Sally dismissed their bothersome behavior as harmless. "They have quite an appetite, Edgar. What have you been feeding them?"

"They eat everything in sight!" He answered, frowning. "Five minutes after I brought them home they cleaned out my pantry. I'm just feeding them whatever scraps of meat that happen to fall on the butcher's floor. The Werewolf who owns the joint sells it to me at a discount. They seem to like it."

"There are plenty of bats and winged monsters in Halloween already. Why spawn sliths?"

"I wanted to introduce something unfamiliar to the real world this year. It never hurts to bring back a classic. Besides, they're good scouts from what I can tell. After Shock and I assign everyone their group and their area, I'll assign a slith to each group as a lookout."

"Clever" Sally commended him.

Gregor rolled his eyes. "Not if he can't keep them under control. You can't just let them run wild." Gregor reminded him. "They're like babies; you have to take extra care of them."

"I'm handling it, okay? Jeez, why don't you start wearing dad's old suits while you're at it?"

"You're just mad 'because I got his brains."

"True, pretty boy, but you didn't inherit his _talent, _did you?"

Gregor slammed his fist on the table. "Take that back!"

"Pretty boy!" He chanted, pinching Gregor's cheek. "Pretty doesn't scare, does it, pretty boy?"

"Leave your brother alone!" Sally warned, pointing a finger at him. "And your father too. Jack's been working hard and Gregor's just looking out for you."

Gregor stuck his tongue out at him and Edgar returned the gesture, making sure he drooled a little.

"Cut it out! I'm serious, you two, stop bickering. That's no way to behave in front of the sliths! That goes double for you, Edgar. You're arguing with a ten-year-old for the Celt's sake."

"He only _looks_ ten," He grumbled under his breath.

"You only _act_ ten"

"I said, cut it out!"

"Yes mom..." They replied in unison.

"I was just picking on him." Edgar insisted. "I know where Raggedy Andy's coming from. It's going to take a lot of discipline to have these guys ready by October. I can handle it though. I have no choice now." He sighed, resting his chin in his hands. "I feel so shitty about earlier. I'm going to look for him and try to get him to talk to me. Mom, you mind keeping an eye on the sliths?"

"Not at all." Sally stood and put a hand on Edgar's shoulder. "Try not to be so hard on Jack from now on, okay? This job means the world to him. He loves new challenges, but he's struggling to keep up with everything. You understand, don't you?"

Edgar nodded. "I understand...Alright fellows; I'll be back for you in a little while. Mom's orders are my orders, got it?"

"Sir, yes sir!" The sliths chanted.

"As for Gregor, do with him what you will."

"Hey!"

Snickering, Edgar left for the door. Edgar searched throughout the cemetery. He found Jack just where he expected him o be, looking out at the sunset on Spiral Hill. "Care if I join you?" He called up from the base.

Jack looked down at him. Edgar could just barely make out a thin, forced smile on his face. "Sure!" He replied. "Hurry, you'll miss the sunset!"

Edgar climbed up as fast as he could. "What happened to that maze you mentioned?" He asked as he took a seat by Jack's side.

"Oh, I won't be planting any shrubs until next week. I'm still working on the outline for it. Tor has loaded the thorn bushes onto a cart for me and Angela still needs to teach me how to relocate them properly. I don't exactly have the green thumb they do."

Edgar nodded soberly. "Um...about the sliths, I- whoa!" Edgar jumped as Kirk flew in from nowhere and perched himself in between him and Jack. "Dammit, I told you to stay with mom! You can't pull these stunts on Halloween, buddy." Edgar sighed. "Anyways, I'm real sorry. Mom explained about earlier. I wouldn't have brought them over unexpectedly had I known."

"That's alright Edgar. It's silly of me to avoid them, really. That was so many years ago. You would think I'd get over it..." Jack trialed off as he looked to his lap. Kirk rested his head against his shoulder. After a long pause, Jack scratched his scalp. "Sliths themselves don't bother me, its just...Every slith reminds me of the one I knew when I was a boy. I wish to God I could have saved it. It haunts me to this day." He forced a chuckle. "Like I said, I'm being silly."

"No, not at all. I would totally freak out too if anyone tried to hurt these guys. I might have chosen a different imp had I known warlocks eat them beforehand, though."

Jack looked up at him. "I'm impressed with you, Edgar. What you're doing could pull the frightful to a whole new level. It's noble of you to sink time and effort into studding them. Sliths are such misunderstood creatures. I always wanted to include them in the frightful when I was king, but... It's great to see you finally getting your act together."

Edgar smiled, touched to hear such words of praise coming from Jack's mouth. "I'm glad your on my side. So far, no one thinks this is a good idea. You should have seen the look on Shock's face when I showed her. She wanted to crush me." He laughed. "Mom's still on the fence and Gregor's totally against me."

"They're just concerned. Sliths have been known to cause a lot of damage and you're... not the most responsible ghoul in Town."

Edgar's expression hardened. "That's what you think, but I'm going to prove you wrong."

Jack smirked. There was the spark- that little ember that burned inside Edgar's eye sockets whenever he felt his integrity was in question. It fueled his desire to prove himself a real ghoul. He loved to see such an inspiring glimmer in his son. He only wished Edgar wouldn't feel the need to direct it at him. "I hope you do. You know, there's so much that you're capable of. I don't think you realize that just yet."

Edgar snickered. "I'm starting to get an idea."

"Don't be afraid to come to me if things gets out of hand" Jack insisted, looking him straight in the eye sockets. "All my years as pumpkin king don't add up to much if I don't pass on a little wisdom once in a while."

"Thanks dad, but I-I need to build the bulk of my empire on my own."

Jack nodded. "I understand. Just out of curiosity...When you conjured Kirk and the others, you didn't have article nineteen, section 'F' in mind, did you?"

"Yup, still have the scroll with me."

Jack patted him on the back. "That's my boy. Go home and get some rest. You look exhausted. Don't overexert yourself. You have me worried a lot here lately."

"Aw, what else is new?" He teased before climbing to his feet. He adjusted his jacket then motioned for Kirk to follow. "Come on, let's go. Later dad, take care."

"You too, Edgar. And thanks again for the readjustment!"

"Anytime!" Edgar flashed him the metal salute before departing.

The sliths flew him home and practically carried him into the living room. Edgar insisted they put him down at the door. He staggered over to his couch and collapsed back first. The sliths gathered around, watching him.

After five long uncomfortable minutes of big unblinking eye sockets staring back at him, Edgar had to ask. "W-what?"

"Are you well?" Kirk asked.

"Oh, sure, I'm just really tired."

Bill leaned forward. "Are you mad 'cause we don't fly good?"

"No, you did alright for your first try. I don't expect perfection in one night. We'll try again when I wake up. Hell, we have all year." Edgar yawned and rolled over, hoping they would leave, but they stayed.

"Can we get you anything?" Kirk offered.

Edgar glanced back at it. "No, that's okay. I'm fine."

"Anything at all, you name it, master."

"Just call me Ed, guys; I'm your king, not your slave driver." He paused to think. "A cold beer sounds good about now, but you don't-"

Before he could finish, they were gone. In five seconds flat Goethe returned with an opened bottle of Heineken, Skelter placed a pillow under his head, Kirk placed 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son' in the stereo and Bill and Goethe took of his shoes and massaged his feet.

"Look, this really isn't necessary ...oh..." Edgar couldn't tell them to stop, he felt too comfortable. He melted into the couch, moving only to take a sip of his drink.

"It is necessary, Ed." Kirk assured him. "Mother sun allowed us to take shape in this world. She watches over us and you take care of us. We love you."

Edgar looked them over. At first, he thought Kirk had just been kidding or sucking up. Something about their timid little voices and round, babyish skulls told him Kirk meant it. He no longer saw them as minions or pets, but much more than that. They were his children (only better because they did what they were told).

Edgar sniffed back a tear. "I love you too, guys. Hey, Bill, a little more pressure on the arch of- there we go..."

Edgar fell fast asleep. His minions watched him closely, making sure nothing disturbed him. They each claimed a side of the couch to guard then fell asleep on the floor. Kirk climbed onto the back of the couch and slept there. He covered his face with his wings and prayed to its mother sun for protection until her first rays of light could guide it his it's siblings in the morning.

A/n: Please don't puke, I know how ungodly fluffy that was and I apologize. If you're confused as to which slith Jack was referring to, you might have to read chapter five of 'Nightmares of the Past'; Reconnaissance to clear things up. I know my fics can be a pain in the ass to read sometimes. For the few reading, thanks, rock on!

P.S.: The mother sun was a reference to the magic card 'Slith Ascendant'. Just giving credit where credit is due.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Dream Tap

a/n: Most of this chapter I pulled directly from my ass...

The moon gave off an eerie glow. Nocturnal beings drifted about the streets, going about their busy schedules. Even still, not a vampire, gargoyle, goblin nor werewolf spotted the apparitional figure carefully floating towards Skellington Manor.

Gore walked through the door, every move he made, smooth, and silent. He was startled to find Edgar laying on his couch, but the moment he realized the skeleton was asleep he continued onward. Cautiously he hovered towards the sofa. "Euh..." He whispered, crinkling his nonexistent nose at the sliths curled up on the floor. "What are these things- guard dogs?"

He jumped back, startled as Skelter's spiked tail twitched. It let out a quiet, raspy yawn then immediately drifted off once again. Gore backed away, ignoring his rival for now to better view his surroundings. He noticed the soft glow of the TV and the song 'The Evil That Men Do" playing from the stereo speakers. "I have to admit, Edgar, you have good taste in music...Man, this place looks a lot different without a whole shit load of people crammed in it."

"Tell me about it."

Gore jumped, clamping his hand over his mouth to muffle his startled cry. From the dark hallway appeared a set of glowing green eyes. A massive shadowy figure stepped forward. "God dammit, Noogie, You have to stop doing that! What are you doing here?"

"Shhh!" He snapped. "Dixie told me Oogie sent you. I'm lending you a hand. Go check upstairs in the study. If there's anything useful to us in this joint, it'll be up there."

"Okay. Wait, where are you going to be?"

Noogie walked over to the sofa and placed his hand over Edgar's forehead. "Down here giving our little friend a good ol' fashioned skull-fucking." He answered with a sick smirk. "Get moving. Meet me down here in ten minutes or so."

Gore gave him an obedient nod then dashed off towards the spiral staircase with his leather trench coat flailing behind him. Noogie stared down at Edgar intense concentration. His shadowy limbs applied only the smallest amount of pressure. Edgar grunted softly as Noogie's hand sunk through his forehead. He squirmed, choking on his snores, but luckily for Noogie, he did not wake.

Noogie could feel his mind fusing with Edgar's. His form scattered into a black, disembodied mass. At first, he couldn't find any trace of a thought, but voices began to spring up from every direction. Some of them he recognized, but most of them he did not.

Suddenly there was light and images began to form. Floating in the abyss was a green, luscious land mass. The sun above appeared to be the same jack-o-lantern sun in Halloween town, but it laughed and danced through the heavens haphazardly, shinning light then plummeting the floating island into shadows randomly.

"_Holy crap, this kid either has a really wild imagination or enough acid in him to make 'White Noise' seem entertaining..." _Noogie thought. He drifted closer towards the land mass.

Odd buildings and people began to appear. He spotted Edgar walking down the bright, clean sidewalk with Shock on his arm. Trailing behind him was a long line of sliths in top hats. They danced as Lock and Barrel whistled the flute solo to 'Locomotive Breath' on golden flutes. Lock wore a grey suit with a red bow tie and Barrel wore a Darth Vader mask (which made playing the flute extra difficult). Edgar carried a leash in his hands and on the end was Gregor. The young rag doll's face looked distorted like a monkey's. He shuffled about, presenting the fez hat he wore on his head as if to beg pedestrians for spare change.

"Ed, I'm scared." Shock whimpered in an unusually timid tone. She hugged him closely, pressing her enlarged breast against his arm. "Where are we?"

"Don't worry, we'll figure it out" He assured her. "We just need to ask someone for directions."

"_And the name of a good shrink._"

Edgar stopped in the middle of what seemed to be town square accept there were giant flowers and dead logs scattered everywhere. Some oaf in a goofy yellow dragon costume and white cowboy boots came skipping up to them. "Hi, y'all!" The dragon greeted them in a southern accent. "Welcome to Living Island. Pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name's H.R. Puffnstuf, mayor of this here town. Everything on this island is alive, even that pile of dog poo your friend just stepped in- Well, not anymore, but you get the picture."

Barrel made a disgusted face as he looked down at his feet. "Eewe..." He groaned as he wiped the stain off on some grass.

Edgar ignored him and shook H.R.'s hand. "I'm Edgar Skellington of Halloween Town. Um, my friends and I need some directions, could you-"

"Oh my, a witch!" H.R. cried, pointing at Shock. "She ain't part of Wilhelmina Witchiepoo's clan is she? Witchiepoo's done enough damage already."

"No, this is Shock, my-"

"I'm sorry, but you have to leave!" H.R. began to shove Edgar and Shock away.

"Wait! We're not trying to cause any trouble. We're looking for my home town-"

"Be gone!" H.R. cried, stomping his foot on the ground. The impact opened a chasm in the earth and from it sprung out a horde of bloody, snarling skinless rabbits.

The sliths formed a barricade before they could attack. While a gruesome battle raged on between the two hordes, Edgar and the others made a run for it, leaving the carnage behind. A flash of lightening struck. Everyone dived to the ground to avoid the blast. Puffnstuf was knocked out cold. Battered and startled, Edgar looked up to find a large human woman dressed as a witch floating above the ground on a broomstick. "I saw these goodie-goodies giving you trouble" She said with a smirk before hopping to the ground.

"Cass! Good to see you!" Edgar said warmly as she pulled him to her feet.

_"You've got to be fucking kidding me..."_

Cass tipped her dressy orange and black hat. "Looking sexy, Eddy-boo."

"Looking good yourself." Edgar took her hand and gave her kisses all the way up the arm and on her bosom.

Shock ripped Cass away before he could reach her lips. "Don't you dare!" She cried, slapping her across the face. "Edgar's mine!"

Cass slapped her back. "Back off twiggy!"

"Slut!"

"SLUUUT!"

Another bolt of lightening flashed. Shock and Cass clawed at each other, pulling hair and ripping each other's clothing. They grunted or moaned seductively with each strike. The song 'Dream Police' began to play from nowhere. Everyone gathered to watched as the two witches wrestled to the death in the mud. On the sidelines, a panel of referees or rather the three-headed knight from Monty Python's 'Holy Grail' kept score. Edgar, Lock and Barrel took a seat on a log. They watched anxiously, cheering the girls on.

_"Okay...this is getting weird..."_

When H.R. came to, he ripped Edgar off the log and shook him by his jacket collar. "You bad, boney, skeleton ghoul thing! I ought to snap you in two!"

Edgar broke free by kneeing him in the stomach. "What is your malfunction?" He snapped. "Can't you see there's a hot catfight going on?"

In a blind fury, H.R. began to shoot flames out of his mouth, setting fire to many trees. The trees came alive, uprooted themselves, and ran away, screaming in agony.

The three-headed knights stood from their tables, rung the bell and shouted "INTERMISSION!" In unison.

Everyone froze. Shock and Cass retreated to the opposite corners of the mud pit. During their break, Halberd and Caliber (dressed as Thing 1 and Thing 2), trotted past the spectators, pushing Alia (dressed as a fish in a giant fishbowl) on a cart. They handed out chicken legs while singing the lyrics to 'Boba O'Riley'.

When everyone received a drumstick, the knights rung the bell once again, ending intermission. The girls pounced at each other. Shock shoved Cass with full force. Thrown off balance, Cass stumbled backwards, bumping into H.R. and accidentally smacked of his dragonhead.

Everyone gasped when H.R. stood, revealing his true identity to be Oprah Winfrey. "Blast you!" Oprah cried. "Buy my next book or SUFFER!"

She pointed to Edgar, shooting heat rays from her fingertips. Edgar jumped out of the way, just barely avoiding getting his feet burned off. Oprah cackled madly. "LOOK UNDER YOUR CHAIR!" She screeched in a demonic voice. Even the mob of sliths wouldn't go near her.

Edgar looked at all the chaos and destruction around him. He feared there was no way to stop it. Luckily, a vortex appeared just beyond the outer ledge of the island. It radiated a bright blue glow then released the giant bat winged skull monster from the cover of Over Kill's 'Under the Influence'. The skull screeched madly as it disintegrated random objects with its laser vision. Oprah ran in terror, a fatal mistake. The skull, attracted to her spastic movements, swooped down and bit her in half, spewing blood and organs everywhere.

_"Heh...That was kind of funny..."_

Edgar scratched his head in confusion. "Lucky break, I guess." He turned around to discover the catfight was still in progress (and nipples were finally starting to show). All the sliths who had survived the rabbit assault were present and doing a happy little jig, Lock and Barrel were finishing their drumsticks and the sun began to dance. "Very lucky break." He confirmed with a wide skeleton grin.

He was about to sit back down when the vortex opened up once again. This time spitting two figures out. A human and a zombie-like being dressed as a sixteenth century king.

"I don't understand..." The human said to the eight-foot corpse. "I leaped, but not into a new body. What's going on?"

"I'm not sure" The zombie replied, rubbing his chin in thought. He spotted Edgar staring back at them in the distance. "Hold on, I think I know I where we are." He added with a sigh.

"Scott Bakula? Eddie the Head!" Edgar raced over to greet his beloved idol.

"Hold on, princeie" Eddie held his arm out to avoid the big hug Edgar was sure to give. "That's King Edward the Great to you."

Edgar smiled. "Okay, I'll play along. W-what are you and _Scott Bakulal_ doing here?"

"We stopped by to chat, have a beer. How the bloody hell should I know?" He snapped.

_"That twisted little puke! How __**dare**__ he drag Eddie's good name into this!"_

"Well, I guess it's safe to assume you two know each oth- Hey look! Chicks mud wrestling!" Scott dropped out of the conversation to steal Edgar's spot on the log and watch the final round of the catfight.

Edgar watched in amazement, Eddie in fear and repulsion. Cass had Shock pinned to the ground. Lock stood, waving his chicken bone in the air. "Shock!" He shouted. "CATCH!"

He threw her the bone. It landed just within Shock's reach. She snatched it from the mud and shoved it down Cass's throat. Cass backed off, clutching her throat as she struggled for breath. She tried her damnedest, but couldn't remove the bone. After four minutes of choking and turning blue, Cass fell to the ground, dead. Shock stood as the victor, basking in applause.

Eddie shook his head in disgust. "Would you mind explaining what in the HELL is going on?"

Edgar shrugged. "Dude, I've been trying to figure that out for ten minutes now. I decided it was easier just to go with the flow. Wait, if you're standing here talking to me, that means this is a dream! Thank God... I am a little disappointed though. Will I ever get to meet you in person?"

"God I hope not. You're really annoying. Since you've sucked me into your sick little mind I should probably tell you something...something..." Eddie growled, bashing his scepter against the ground. "I can't think straight with all this nonsense! Everyone SHUT UP!"

Eddie's shouting caused the dream sequence to grind to a halt. All voices, music, and random noises silenced. Everyone except for him and Edgar froze. The sun dimmed in the sky and all the colors began to melt away, slowly blending into a dingy, swirling mess.

"Ah, that's better." Eddie said with a smirk. "Come with me so we can have some peace and quiet..." He escorted Edgar to a nearby pond. When he felt comfortable with his surroundings, Eddie cleared his throat and continued. "As I was saying, you need help-"

"Damn right I do. I've been a wreck lately. It seems like every move is inadequate. Do you think you could give me advice on how to be a better Pumpkin King?"

Eddie placed an arm over his shoulder. "We've been down this road before, Edgar. You're a big boy now. You can figure that out on your own. No, I'm trying to tell you, you and all of Halloween is-"

He was cut off when a bright blue hippo poked his head out of the lake. "Help me!" The hippo begged in a deep, gargled voice. "The frogs are watching!"

"Do you mind?" Eddie sneered. "We're in the middle of an important conversation!"

"But I can't poop if they watch me!"

"Get lost you fat-assed beast!" Eddie ordered, pointing a gnarled finger at the pond.

Whimpering, the hippo sunk back under the water. Scowling, Eddie struck Edgar over the head with his scepter. "Quit imagining things and pay attention before I shove this down your throat!" He hissed. "You and all of Halloween are in danger!"

Edgar rubbed his head tenderly. "In danger of what?"

"I'm not quite sure yet, but be on your toes. Everything you have, everyone you love- all in jeopardy. You need to grow some bloody balls if you hope to protect what's rightfully yours."

Edgar frowned. "That's terrible, but...How will I tell what's a threat and what's not? Can't you tell me anything else?"

"I'm sorry. If I had anymore information to give, I would."

Edgar sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Fucking-A, that's just what I need- a holiday-wide tragedy. And I'm too useless to fix any of it."

Eddie smacked him across the back of his head with his crown. "Don't talk like that!" He scolded. "You don't need anyone to hold your hand, got it? You're a man- a-a ghoul! And you'll know what to do when the time comes, right?"

Edgar nodded confidently. "Right!"

"Good, lad..." Eddie tipped his crown and ripped another vortex open with his staff. "Oh and one more thing before you wake up...For Christ's sake, don't say anything stupid at Town Hall tomorrow!"

"What?"

The dream sequence ended in a flash. Noogie broke away from Edgar's thoughts, panting heavily. He felt a cold hand on his shoulder and spun around.

"I searched every room. Didn't find much. Just some embarrassing photographs and one of the biggest CD collections I've ever seen." Gore informed him, whispering. "We'll have to raid Town Hall if we hope to find anything worth a shit. Did you find anything out?"

Noogie held his aching head as he staggered away from the sofa. "Other than the fact that this kid is a complete whack-job, not much."

"What did you see?"

"Never mind...Let's get the fuck out of here..."

A/n: Oh God, I've never been so proud and yet so ashamed of something I've typed in my entire life.

Disclaimer/s: PuffnStuf and Living Island is a reference to a movie I liked as a kid made in the 70's. 'Dream Police' is by Cheap Trick. 'Boba O'Riley' is by the Who and 'Locomotive Breath' is by Jethro Tull. Eddie the Head is the album art mascot for Iron Maiden. The version of Eddie used in this chapter is from one of their "best o" albums, 'Edward the Great'. Scott Bakula was the lead actor in the TV series, 'Quantum Leap'. Just to be clear, I don't hate Oprah as a person, just her show. Momma Cass was a plus sized model and folk singer who also played witch Hazel in the PufnStuff movie. She actually died of a heart attack, but the urban legend goes she died from choking on a chicken bone (or ham sandwich). Oddly enough, I didn't smoke before typing this chapter.

I promise to get the plot back on track. Everything from here on out should move fairly quickly. Thanks for reading. I will be going to Hell now. Hopefully I'll have some reviews to read while I burn. Please? I need input, any kind will do.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Oogie's Back

An hour before sunrise Edgar awoke to harsh knocking at the door. Still half asleep, he rolled off the sofa, holding his pounding head. "Aw, man...I feel like my skull's been fucked." He mumbled before answering the door. Wrath stood on the steps, holding Bill up by the nape of its neck.

"May I come in?" He asked, red eyes narrowed and snout crinkled in a scowl.

Edgar's drowsiness faded quickly. "That depends...Will you hurt me if I let you?"

"I'm tempted to."

"Then no."

"I'm not joking Edgar, welcome me inside."

"My, aren't we full of piss and vinegar this morning." He teased, wearing a big grin.

"Listen" The gargoyle hybrid hissed. "It's four a.m.; I found your brute in the twin's playpen, giving them whatever-the-hell-this-is back rides and disturbing Dusk's sleep. I'm getting tired, so I'm only going to say this once; Keep it away from my apartment or I'll break your neck."

He tossed Bill into Edgar's arms. "Sorry, I didn't hear him go through the door." Edgar explained. "Man...I was having this really screwed up dream. There were gore-covered bunnies and burning trees and Halloween was at war with Living Island and Momma Cass was mud wrestling Shock and Eddie the Head Leaped into the dream through a portal with Scott-"

"Yes, yes, fascinating, Edgar. Just start keeping a closer eye on your pets." He warned. "Good morning." With that, Wrath slammed the door shut and returned to his rooftop.

Edgar set Bill in the floor. "You can't break into our neighbor's houses, buddy." He scolded it with a deep yawn. "Don't pester anybody unless I give you the okay, got it?"

Bill nodded yes.

Edgar stared at him, struggling to see through his blurry morning vision. "Bill, did...did you get taller?"

A shrill howl of a cat cut Bill off before he could answer. Edgar jumped. "Shit! Where are the others?" He searched the living room, the kitchen and a few closets before realizing the cry came from upstairs. He found the other sliths huddled over a cat paw, some black fur and a few entrails scattered across the second floor hallway.

"Mr. Humsy?" Edgar squeaked. "What did you do?" He hissed down at them.

"We're hungry." Kirk explained.

"So you ate my _cat_?"

"You have six more."

"Yeah, but-but DUDE! My freaking cat! Gha!" He cried, slapping his forehead. "Jeezy freaking- H creezy! Mom's going to kick my ass! Bad! Bad _bad_ sliths! Don't eat the cats, ever!"

They looked to their feet, whimpering apologetically. Edgar's expression softened just slightly. "Look, you didn't know, just...Mop up the blood, and come downstairs for breakfast." He ordered, pacing across the hallway to keep himself from shouting. "You can't keep making a mess of things when I'm not watching you. That's it! I'll divide up the guestrooms. At night, you'll stay there until morning and-"

Edgar peeked inside one of the guestrooms and nearly vomited. "What the fuck is this?" He cried, pointing to the mess. "There's claw marks everywhere! All my shit is wrecked!" Just when he thought nothing else could piss him off any worse he noticed the shredded scraps of cloth draped around the sliths' waist. It wasn't the plain black material Hatchet had scrounged up for them. These cloths had band logos printed on them. Metallica was printed on Kirk's, Montly Crue on Skelter's, Amon Amarth on Goethe's, Judas Priest on Ripper's and Black Sabbath on Bill's.

Edgar's boney fingers balled up into a fist. "MY BAND SHIRTS! YOU RIPPED APART MY BAND SHIRT COLLECTION- YOU LITTLE BASTARDS!" He lunged forward with the intent to strangle, but the sliths scattered and perched themselves in the shadowy crevices of the ceiling.

Edgar started to climb the walls after them. He almost snatched Skelter by the tail, but his foot slipped and he fell, landing on his back with a heavy thud. The sliths hopped down and helped him to his feet.

"Are you hurt, Ed?" Kirk asked.

"No..." Edgar grumbled. He sighed, defeated. "Sorry guys, I lost it back there. Forget the shirts. You might as well keep them."

"Sorry, Ed." Goethe brushed the dust from his shirt. "We liked the pictures."

"I did too." Edgar sniffed back a mournful tear for his beloved t-shirts. He led them downstairs and sat them at the kitchen table. He reached into the icebox for some bacon. "Hope you like maggots, fellows, these strips have been up here a wh-" He turned around to find his cabinets, cupboards, and pantry pillaged.

The sliths sat on the floor, cramming anything they could rip open down their throats. Edgar grimaced, fighting the urge to rip out his hair. "Stop it! That's...oh screw it..."

Edgar dragged his sorry carcass into the living room, giving up any hope of teaching the sliths table manners. He glanced at the calendar pinned on the wall. "Oh HELL!" He spat, punching himself in the temples. "I'm scheduled to meet with the Seven Gentlemen at Town Hall today! Son of a bitch!"

He raced through the halls and up the stairs to his bedroom to find a clean suit to wear.

Meanwhile at casino, Lock was busy collecting the night's earnings from the unlucky suckers who spent the night gambling. Barrel shouted "LAST CALL!" Over the music blaring from the stereo.

The few ghouls left with a cent to their name rushed over to grab one last drink for the road. Armed with big sticks, Shock, Thicket, and Hester guarded the exits in case anyone tried to sneak out without paying.

Up in the tree house, Alia laid on the floor, covering her head with a pillow. "Finally, closing time." She hissed to Caliber. "Maybe we can get some sleep."

He shrugged indifferently. "I have to head back to the catacombs. The elders are going to kick my ass when they find out I dicked around here all night."

She sighed. "Fine, I'll tell Hal' you said bye when he wakes up." She slapped him over the head with her pillow. He didn't even stir. "How in the hell does he do that?"

"Heavy sleeper I guess..."

Oogie watched as the guest finished their business and crawled out of _his_ casino. He couldn't believe his boys would betray him like this- simply claiming his lair and abusing it for their own profit. His beloved torture devises appeared as though they had been unoccupied for years! His notorious roulette lava pit, dried up and used as an icebox! And the IOU's! How could that scrawny sham of a devil stand there and accept _IOU's_? He stood in the shadows frozen with anger.

He stared at the trio. They looked nothing like he remembered, well they looked _somewhat_ like he remembered. Lock was still a crooked little devil in mostly red, only much taller now and styled his hair to look like Minotaur horns. Barrel, although still a grimy simpering boob in a skeletal shirt, was now devoid of fat and made of pure muscle. His little girl, Shock, was now a big witch with knock out curves and long, sexy legs.

The trio had grown up and dismissed the Boogieman as nothing more than a bad childhood phase. Oogie's entire body trembled with fury. Noogie placed a hand on his shoulder. "I told you, you wouldn't like what I had to show you."

"Fuck off!" Oogie hissed, shoving him back "That's it! I can't take this anymore!" He stomped off, entering his domain for the first time in what seemed like a blurry century.

"Making yourselves at home?" He boomed.

The trio jumped, startled to find someone had stayed behind. They turned around, nearly dropping dead from fright the moment they recognized the fluorescent green sack standing before them.

"UNHOLY SHIT!" Lock cried.

"I-is it really you?" Shock asked, cowering between her brothers.

"But _how_?" Barrel finished.

Oogie snickered as he took a few steps closer. The trio backed away, turning paler then even their original complexion. "Never mind how. So, you just forgot about me, hu?" He slammed his fist on a bed of nails, catching the dusty red dice that bounced in the air.

The trio did not answer. Just kept backing away, praying their backs would not collide with the wall.

"Did you think you were entitled to just take over in my absence? You two-faced little scumbags are unfit to _look_ at this place, much less run it!"

"It's ours now." Lock corrected him. "I've been operating it for years."

Oogie ignored the once little devil and turned his attention to Thicket. "What have we here? I didn't even notice you, doll face. Whose she, Lock, your girlfriend?"

"My wife" He hissed. "So drop her."

Oogie tossed Thicket aside. "Your balls have swelled up big-time since you were little. Not good, kiddo."

"Everything's changed, Oogie." Lock said as fiercely as possible while resisting the urge to wet himself. "We're not lumplings anymore. We have our own lives now! The boys and I won't work for you and you can't tell us what to do! We've scraped by with what little you left behind and we don't plan to give it back without a fight!"

"Right" The others replied in unison.

"Ha! Cute, Lock, very cute." Oogie sneered. "I'll tell you what. You three can stay here with your little families if you promise to be my stooges again. Does that sound fair?"

"It'll never happen." Hester spat.

"Shut up! I wasn't talking to you!" He looked to Barrel. "You married too, butter ball? Ha! I guess I can't call you that anymore. Stupid will do until I can think of something better. What do you stay, stupid- yes or no? This offer won't last long."

Barrel scowled at him, hugging Hester close to his side. "Blow it out your ass, Oogie."

Oogie snatched him by the hair threw him towards the wall. "Fine! What about you, Shock?" He asked, snatching her close and tickling her chin seductively. "You missed your daddy didn't you?"

"Fuck you, Oogie!"

"You offered, babe." He hugged her tight, attempting to force a kiss.

Lock tried to pull her free. "The answer is no! Get the fuck out!"

"You've disappointed me the most!" He spat, elbowing Lock in the chest. "I hoped we could be partners someday, but you had to sleaze around behind my back." He smirked. "I must have taught you too well."

"Last warning. Leave or we'll _make_ you leave."

Oogie laughed, folding his arms across his chest. "I'd like to see you try!"

In the blink of an eye, they whipped out their switchblades (Lock armed everyone with one in case of a bar fight). Lock and Barrel pounced first, desperate to make the slightest tear. Oogie smacked Lock aside easily. Barrel on the other hand managed to push him back. He almost threw Oogie off balance, but the old sack of bugs was just too big and heavy. Oogie eventually overpowered him and bulldozed him into the torture wheel. The girls attacked next, but had no better luck then the boys.

Alia sat upright, startled by sounds of shouting and crashing. "Cal' wait up!" She whispered, chasing after the young warlock. "There's a fight downstairs!"

"There's fights downstairs every night."

"But it's closing time! No one should be down there! Listen!"

They both put their ears to the floor. Horrible sounds erupted through the rotting wood: bodies being slammed into furniture and walls, whaling and cursing, glass breaking, neon bats screeching and the laughter of a scary, unfamiliar voice.

Caliber looked to Alia, eyes wide with worry. "Get Hal', quickly!"

Alia shook Caliber, forcing him out of bed. They gathered by the old offering tunnel and peeked inside.

While his opponents were down on the floor, Oogie took a deep breath, sending everything that wasn't nailed to the floor flying through the air. Everyone took cover. The moment Oogie stopped; Lock and Barrel tackled him from behind. Barrel put him in a chokehold. He tried to stab his neck, but he needed both arms to maintain his grip.

Oogie leaned forward, lifting him off the ground. He tried to crush Barrel against the wall, but he wouldn't let go. While he was distracted, Lock made a desperate swipe at Oogie's stomach. Before the blade could make contact with the burlap, Oogie spun around, smacking Barrel's body against Lock.

"What's going on?" Halberd asked, shoving his cousins aside.

"Our parents are in trouble!" Alia answered.

"What do we do?" Caliber asked, panicking.

"I don't know! Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" Alia looked about the tree house, desperate to find a solution. She spotted the endless array of weapons scattered across the room and cried "Pick up something and head for the casino!"

Shock pried a leg off one of the broken barstools, cursing Lock mentally for not stashing hidden flamethrowers anywhere. She lunged the sharpened end forward when Hester grabbed her shoulder. "The kids are upstairs!" She whispered. "We have to get them out of here!"

Shock froze. "Oh no...But we can't let Oogie see them. Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh-" She looked to the pipeline that once functioned as their offering tunnel. "Thicket! Catch!"

She snatched the table leg from the air. Shock made a swinging motion, signaling her to strike the pipeline. Thicket nodded and swung the leg as hard as she could.

The earsplitting _CLANG_ sent Alia and the others toppling to the floor. Halberd scratched his inner ear in a desperate attempt to stop the ringing. "What was that?"

"Our cue to run!" Caliber answered.

"But we can't just leave them down there!"

Caliber ripped the plunger from her hand. "They want us to run and find help, so let's go!"

The boys ran for the tub. Alia stared at the pipe, reluctant to leave her family behind. "AP! MOVE!" She heard Caliber shout from the other room. Finally she left, escaping with the others in the walking bathtub.

Oogie aimed one of the gunman slot machine's arms and fired at Barrel. He only hit Barrel's shoulder, but the impact of the bullet sent him crashing to the floor. "That'll teach you, stupid!" Oogie barked, panting.

With a tear in his eye, Lock swung at him, screaming violently. Oogie hooked him by the neck twisted his arm so that his knife pressed against his throat. "Don't get any ideas!" Oogie warned. "I don't care how big and bad you think you are- you're the same snot-faced punk you were thirty years ago! Remember back then, Lock? How good you had it? You worked the gig of a lifetime, all thanks to me. I'm offering you security, don't you understand? All of you would be free from the Boogie list! Don't make me slice your fucking neck, God dammit!"

Lock's slate eyes burned with rage. "Never! You screwed us once and I won't let you screw us again!"

Oogie sighed. "That's the thanks I get hu?" He snorted. "Have it your way."

Just before he could cut Lock's throat out, Shock pulled her hat over his eyes while Barrel stabbed him. Oogie dropped Lock to clutch his torn shoulder. Barrel kicked him to the floor until his strength completely faded and required Hester as a leaning post. Thicket yanked Lock out of the way. "Come on!" She ordered, pulling him towards the exit. "Let's go!"

Lock jerked his arm free. "No! He's not taking the casino!"

"Please, Lock!" Thicket begged. "We have to leave!"

"NO!"

"We'll get it back later!" Barrel insisted. "MOVE!"

They climbed their way to the surface as fast as they could, sadly leaving their home and business behind. Noogie rushed to Oogie's aid. He helped his brother to his feet, keeping the tear closed before any more bugs leaked out.

"Dixie! Fetch a needle, quick!" He looked to Oogie, scowling. "I told you, you should have used your shadow form."

"I scared them out, didn't I?" He hissed.

"They're getting away. We should run after them before they run their mouths."

"Don't worry about that, just let them go. I'll take care of them later. Now hurry up and sew me back together so we can take out all this garbage they added."

Noogie frowned, disappointed. "Even the stereo?"

"Yes even the stereo! You fucking rat! You turned my stooges against me and brainwashed them with that metal crap, didn't you? Why don't you guys just take turns spitting on me while you're at it?"

"They betrayed you on their own accord." Noogie sneered. "You know they never really liked you."

Oogie laughed. "Like I give two shits. I didn't need them to like me; I needed them to be afraid of me. Look's like I'm back to square one on that deal. Oh well. They'll learn again. They'll learn reeeal quick."

Dixie appeared with some thread and a needle. Noogie repaired the rip. "You feeling okay?" He asked as he closed the stitch.

"Yeah, sure, I'm fine." He stood; testing his arms. "Okay ladies, now that I have my lair back, we start faze two. Noogie, you come with me. It's time to call in some favors..."

a/n: Is Oogie still on the ball? What exactly does he have planned? Will anyone come to the tricky trio's aid? Will Edgar ever find a good use for the sliths? See, I told you the story would get back on track. I promise to post as few bullshit chapters as possible. The next four chapters are NOT bullshit chapters for sure. Thanks for reading. Rock on.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Wrench in the Works

"Are you _sure_ you know sign language?" Edgar asked Dr. Finklestein as he pushed his wheelchair to the lab's entrance with Igor in toe. "You're not just going to flip the Gentlemen off, right?"

"No, I'm not for last Goddamn time! Why would I agree to abandon my research this afternoon if I couldn't be of assistance?"

"Because you like to screw with me." Edgar reminded him. "I'm serious, grandpa, don't piss them off. This conference has to go perfectly or seven deaths will be over my head this Halloween."

"They're going to demand human hearts." The doctor predicted. "The Seven Gentlemen are legendary, you know, they can demand whatever they want."

"There's no shortage of preserved organs here. It'll be expensive, but we need the boost in rank."

"I have ten still beating hearts in the lab. Why not cut out the middle man, and give them the hearts so you'll be able to speak to them?"

"I need some sort of advantage over them. People never take me seriously."

"How can they? You look like a drag queen."

The doctor and Igor shared a laugh. Edgar glared down at them. He bit his tongue hard so not to make some nasty comeback. When they reached the front gate, Igor walked over to the electric fence and pulled the deactivation lever.

They stared, wide-eyed, at Town Square, completely shocked by the chaos in progress. The citizens scurried about in a huge mass, all talking at once. The streets were in ruin. Garbage cans, streetlights, decorations, merchandise from the shops and kiosks, cages, nooses, guillotines and everything else not cemented to the ground were scattered like common litter. The citizens did not attempt to clean the mess; instead, they gathered to face Town Hall.

Edgar and Dr. Finklestein exchanged confused glances. "Well this is screwy." The doctor said, scratching his brain.

"No shit" Edgar replied. "Was it like this last night?"

"Not that I saw." Igor answered.

"Me neither."

"What the fuck?" Edgar snapped. "It looks like a tornado hit! What's going on?"

"YOU'RE ALL BEING CHEETED!" A loud, commanding voice shouted over the ruckus. "I DEMAND CHANGE! I DEMAND POGRESS!"

Edgar ordered the doctor and his assistant to stay put before attempting to force his way through the crowd. Halfway through he managed to spot the source of the commotion. A tall, ragged ghoul- no, a ghost stood at the podium, which had somehow been removed from Town Hall along with the pews. They had been stacked in a hazardous pile in front of the fountain, but somehow remained unbroken.

The ghost hovered over the podium with his head held high. His white ectoplasmic form gave off a soft blue glow. His long hair and jacket flowed in a non-existent breeze. He looked angry, he looked confident, he looked frightening, and he looked down at Edgar.

"YOU PUT SO MUCH TRUST IN THE SKELLINGTON DYNASTY! WHY? I HAVE ONLY BEEN HERE A FEW MONTHS AND ALREADY I FIND MYSELF TAPPING INTO MY FULL POTENTIAL! IF I CAN SCARE ON MY OWN ACCORD, WHY NOT YOU? OR YOU?"

The ghost slammed his fist on the podium. "YOU GET NO SAY IN HOW YOU SCARE! NOT A WORD! THE PUMPKIN KING LEADS YOU TO BELIEVE HE'S PLANNING HALLOWEEN FOR YOUR BENEFIT! BULLSHIT! HE'S ONLY OUT TO BENEFIT HIMSELF!"

Edgar shook his head in disbelief. Who does this stranger think he is? He felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to find Trivette wearing a red and black pinstriped due rag. "Yo, have you been listening to this asshole?"

Edgar scowled. "I hear him."

"TOO LONG HAVE THE GOOD GHOULS OF THIS HOLIDAY FOLLOWED THE PUMPKIN CROWN BLINDLY! THE SYSTEM IS _CRAWLING_ WITH CURRUPTION ! SHOCK, THE SUPPOSED ELECTED OFFICIAL HAS BEEN THE KING'S FRIEND SINCE INFACY! REMEMBER YOUR HARD EARNED TAX DOLLARS? WASTED ON PARTIES, ALCOHOL, AND WHORES- ALL OF IT!"

"HEY! I THROW ONE HALLOWEEN AFTER PARTY A YEAR! MY ASSWHIPE FRIENDS THREW LAST WEEK'S, NOT ME!" Edgar looked out at the mob. Half of them glared at him with contempt, others wanted him to put a stop this madness. Edgar's expression hardened. He smoothed down his hair and straightened his tie, ready to kick some ass.

"Are you just going to let that punk talk smack?" Trivette demanded. "You need to shut that mother fucker up! These people are starting to buy into this!"

"Wait here and keep your mouth shut!" He ordered. Edgar forced himself to the front. He clawed his way up the pile. The instability of the pew pile made it difficult for him to maintain a descent hold.

Gore smirked down at him. He knew he had humiliated the poor bastard of a skeleton. All it took was some shouting and a few colorful fibs and Edgar was under his heel. In less than six hours, he managed to turn Halloween upside-down. The citizens couldn't stop him. Several of them tried, but no corporeal being could grab a hold of him and the other ghost couldn't overpower him. For once in his wretched existence, Gore was calling the shots and he enjoyed every moment of it.

Until Edgar did something completely unexpected, snatch him by the arm and tossed him away from the podium as if Gore was flesh again.

"THIS GHOST IS A LIAR!" Edgar boomed. "HE SHOWS UP OUT OF NOWHERE, DESTROYS **YOUR** PROPERTY AND HAS THE GALL TO ACCUSE US OF DISORDER? YOU DON'T ACTUALLY BELIEVE ANY OF THIS? HAVEN'T I SERVED YOU WELL? KEPT THE SPIRIT OF HALLOWEEN DECEASED AND HAUNTING? AND MAYOR SHOCK! DESPITE ANY MISCHIEF INVOLVED IN HER YOUTH, THAT WITCH HAS DEDICATED EVERY MOMENT OF HER LIFE TO IMPROVING THE QUALIY OF OUR SCARES!"

The citizens looked to each other, debating amongst themselves. Edgar took a deep breath and continued. "THE ONLY THING I'M GUILTY OF IS INEXPERIENCE! EVERYTHING ELSE IS PURE SLANDER!"

Gore could sense his grip over the audience slipping. He elbowed Edgar aside to make a quick rebuttal. "THIS PAMPERED IMP IS NOT ONE OF YOU! I KNOW THE STRUGGLE OF WORKING GHOULS BECAUSE I _AM_ A WORKING GHOUL! THE TYRANY HAS TO STOP!"

"THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING! HE DOESN'T KNOW THE FIRST THING ABOUT HALLOWEEN OR THE FRIGHTFUL! NOT A DAMN THING!"

They could have argued until they passed out. It would have made no difference. The crowd was already divided.

"I never trusted Edgar!" A bugaboo in the middle of the crowd cried, raising his claw-like fist.

"That hooligan ghost destroyed my black roses!" The Harlequin monster groaned. "He should encased in a crystal and left at the bottom of Dark Lagoon Lake!"

"Shock is hardly a witch!" The tallest witch elder sneered. "I'd choose anarchy over a Boogie boy! And that's just what I wrote on the ballot!"

"ORDER!" Edgar begged, waving his arms to the dreary sky. "SETTLE DOWN!"

The crowd ignored him. They were too busy arguing amongst themselves to acknowledge their king. The shouting became louder, the words harsher. Soon sections of the mob began to brawl.

"EVERYONE STOP! THIS IS LUNACY! I ORDER YOU TO-"

Gore folded his arms in front of his chest and laughed. "Don't bother, kid, they've stopped listening to you." He sneered, while the corners of his mouth formed a fiendish grin.

Edgar turned to him, furious, yet puzzled. "How did you throw all this shit around without anyone noticing?" He demanded, pointing to the devastation.

"Take an educated guess, your highness."

Suddenly it hit him. "Telekinesis- You're a poltergeist."

"Bingo" Gore cheered.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this? What do you possibly hope to accomplish by causing a panic?"

"You of all people should know how malleable those idiots are." Gore replied, cocking his head arrogantly. "They revered your family name last night and then hang on my every word today. This is just the beginning, man! You might as well step down now, 'cause by Halloween next year, this little world is mine."

Edgar's face contorted into an enraged glare. He snatched Gore by his collar, shaking him violently. "You son of a bitch! You won't get away with this! Halloween is _my_ holiday, understand? MINE! If you think you can drift into town and make a mockery of my kingdom, think again fuck-face!"

Gore found himself unable to break free from Edgar's grip- again! Why? HOW? No corporal being can grab a hold of an apparition without the apparition's consent! But somehow Edgar, could. Gore kept a straight face, showing no signs of weakness. "Scariest creature in Halloween, hu? Well, you don't scare me! Listen good, Edgar Hoak Skellington! I'm calling you out! I'll be back, don't forget it!"

Gore raised his arm. Before Edgar could even see it coming, a large loose cobblestone flew through the air and bashed him against the back of his head. He fell to the ground with a heavy _**thud**_. Gore escaped, leaving his mess behind. Edgar laid face down on the concrete, just barely conscience. His head pounded and his entire spine ached, making him unable to move.

Someone yanked him to his feet and slapped him across the face. "ED, WAKE UP! WE HAVE A HUGE SITUATION!" Shock screeched over the commotion.

"Ooohhh..." Edgar shook his head until he was able to see and think clearly. "No fucking kidding." He replied, holding his head. He noticed Lock, Barrel and the others standing there looking beaten and battered. "Wha- what happened to you guys? Did you get caught in the riot?"

"Dude, we have to get out of here and find your dad!" Lock stated urgently. "We're all in biiiig fucking trouble." Barrel added.

"We'll explain later, just come on-"

"Wait!" Edgar cried, ripping his arm free from Shock's hand. "I have to stop them! They're destroying Town Square- Somebody's going to get hurt!"

"What can you do?" Thicket asked. "Everyone's out of control."

Edgar paced back and forth struggling to think. Luckily, a solution popped into his skull. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a large smoky-grey tablet. "Narcotic fog pill!" He announced, holding the tablet proudly overhead. "Grandpa I could kiss you!" He said before tossing the pill as hard as he could.

Somehow it soared over the raging citizens and landed in the fountain. Within minutes, Town Square was engulfed in a thick haze that put everyone to sleep. Edgar and the others covered their mouths. "Let's get the hell out of here!" Edgar whispered.

He escorted his friends towards the graveyard, praying the fog pill would be enough to keep everything in order while he searched for a better plan of action.

a/n: Hope the bold print didn't annoy anybody. It was for dramatic effect. I managed to get all my assignments done plus two whole chapters thanks to **insomnia**! I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate HATE (did I mention HATE?) insomnia! It makes my shitty retail job that much shittier and it makes my eyes hurt. Thanks to the few people who have been reviewing so far. I'd really like to see a few more. Thanks for reading. Rock on guys.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Order to Disorder

Disclaimer: Mostly dialog in this one. I have written a song parody of 'Kidnap the Sandy Claus'. I know it sucks, but I'm not a good lyricist, so please bare with me.

Jack ran up to Edgar and the others, looking dreadfully worried. "Are you alright? A few of my crypt keepers were talking about a riot-"

"It's under control- temporally." Edgar informed him. "Some asshole poltergeists started-"

"Jack! Oogie's back!" Lock interrupted.

"We saw him!" Barrel added.

"He shot Barrel!" Shock finished.

"Hold it!" Jack begged. "Tell me what happened when we get to my house."

At home, Sally did her best to keep Alia, Halberd and Caliber calm, but had little success. Only Gregor managed to settle their hysteria. When Lock and the others arrived, the children greeted their folks at the front door, relieved and in tears.

Thicket held Alia close, stroking her fiery orange hair. Halberd assisted Hester in treating Barrel's wound. Shock embraced Caliber in a bear hug, weeping silently on his scalp. Edgar was touched and at the same time disturbed by their behavior. After witnessing years of bickering and dysfunction amongst the Boogie Boy family, it was odd to watch them embrace and comfort each other. On the other hand, it wasn't completely shocking. Unity was the only value their clan upheld to any extent.

"I'm sorrow fellows" Jack apologized for breaking up such a tender moment. "But we have a grave situation on our hands. We can't afford to waste time if Oogie really is back."

Alia stared up at Lock. "Dad, does he mean the Oogie I _think_ he means?"

Halberd's posture stiffened with dread. "Was he the one in the Casino?"

"Is he going to come after us?"

"Cal', you and the others go play outside." Shock ordered. "We need to have a family meeting."

"But _we're_ family!" Alia argued.

"Scram!" Lock shouted, pointing to the door.

Reluctantly, they left. Gregor followed to keep an eye on them and to try to be of some comfort. The adults stayed in the living room.

Edgar sat in the armchair, nervously fidgeting with his tie. His bones rattled as he quivered in his seat, mind racing with a million questions, and an overwhelming feeling of humiliation.

Jack paced the floor, looking up at the others every five seconds. "Alright" Jack began with a sigh. "Can anyone tell me how Oogie managed to reform?"

"It wasn't us!" Lock assured them.

"The last time I checked, his remains were still clinging to the ceiling mixer." Barrel added.

"Dammit! I told you idiots to scrape him down from there!"

"Yeah right, like _I_ was going anywhere near that mess!"

"He was your boss too, Shock! You could have scraped him down and burned the body or something!"

"Are you telling me that stinky brown clump stuck to the ceiling all these years was _Oogie_?" Thicket cried. "Sick, guys!"

"You didn't know that was Oogie?"

"NO!"

"You knew we were his henchmen when you married me." Lock sneered defensively.

"Yeah, but leaving his body up there to rot? That's a little piece of information you share with someone before they move in!" Hester replied.

"Quiet!" Jack shouted. "Okay, obviously, someone snuck into the casino while it was unoccupied, stole Oogie's remains and patched him back together, but who?"

"It was probably the same cock sucker who was badmouthing me at Town Hall." Edgar answered. "I want to know who he is, where he came from, and where he's hiding."

"Before we do that, we'll have to restore at least some order back in town." Shock warned. "The citizens are going to be pissed off beyond all reason once the effects of the fog wear off."

Edgar ran his fingers through his hair, struggling to think. "I'll call an emergency meeting and make a formal apology. But I won't just sweep what happened out there under the rug. That poltergeist dude is totally seeking a vendetta against me."

"Na, he's probably just some disgruntled specter who's taking his frustrations out on the hierarchs. There's always one or two floating around, nothing to freak out about. It's not like anyone's going to take that jackass seriously." Barrel said dismissively.

"You'd be surprised. I saw the look on everyone's faces. The whole crowd was this close to turning on me." Edgar shook his head. "I'm telling you, these incidences are not coincidental. Someone's plotting against us. I can feel it."

"I'm feeling it too." Lock's tail twitched with anxiety. "I don't know about you guys, but I think Ed's onto something. Oogie's a shady character and he has connections to every other shady character in this world. The poltergeist has to be affiliated with him somehow."

"It's seems likely, but we don't know that for sure." Sally reminded them. "If Oogie was recently reconstructed, he's probably still weary from his injuries. Maybe we can still fight back before he causes any real damage."

"He seemed like was at full strength to me." Barrel sneered, rubbing his bullet wound.

"I forgot how hard he can hit when he's pissed." Lock admitted.

"Let's backtrack a bit, shall we?" Jack suggested. "Lock, Shock, Barrel, tell me exactly what happened. You too, Edgar. If we hope to launch any form of retaliation, we have to go over the details-"

"What's happening? What's happening?" Alia whispered harshly at Caliber who stood at the top of living ladder she and her cousins constructed."

"I can't hear a thing!" Caliber griped as he pulled his hood up. "And the fucking sun's in my eyes!"

"One of these day's I'm going to shove those robes up your ass!" Halberd hissed under his breath. "Dammit Cal', Stop kicking me!"

"Stop wobbling!"

"It's not me, it's AP!"

"It's your fault! I told you to get on the bottom, fatass!"

"Why don't you just wait until they're finished?" Gregor interrupted before they could give him a headache.

"Because adults never tell the truth!" Alia explained. "They'll just feed us some sugarcoated bullcrap explanation that's wh-WHOA!" She couldn't maintain her balance. She fell, collapsing the ladder.

"Get off!" She screeched, crawling her way out from under her cousins.

Halberd pressed his ear to the wall. "Nothing, guys... They're still talking though."

"Come on Greg, aren't you the least bit curious?" Caliber asked. "Oogie Boogie was your dad's arch enemy, you know."

"I _am_ curious, but I'd rather wait for their explanation then sneak around, only gathering half the facts then jumping to conclusions."

"Aw, fuck you and your logic!" Alia snapped. She stomped to the front steps, kicking a few gravestones along the way.

The others ran after her. Gregor stopped her by placing his hand on her shoulder. "You shouldn't spaz over this. Everyone made it out just fine."

"Yeah, no thanks to us!" She barked. "Our parents were getting their asses handed to them and we just ran away like fucking roaches under a light bulb!"

"You heard them strike the pipeline! They wanted us to run!" Caliber argued.

"It was a cowardly thing to do!"

"It was the _only_ thing to do!"

"He's right." Halberd agreed. "No one in Halloween has ever beaten my dad in a fistfight. If that Oogie guy can bring _him_ down, he would have eaten us alive."

"Face it, AP; this is over your head. Just relax until our parents figure out what's going on."

"You relax!" Alia jerked her shoulder free. "This is the worst thing that's ever happened to us, don't you get that? Do you think our folks just make up those horror stories about their Boogie Boy days? Do you think a stern talking to from Jack is going to scare Oogie off and we can go home and go on with our lives? NO! We're totally fucked out both ends right now! On top of being homeless, our parents could be in danger and you slack-jawed boobs are just standing there with your thumbs up your asses telling me there's nothing I can do!"

"My dad will figure something out. They all will." Gregor assured her, although he wasn't quite as sure as he would have liked to be. The dry leaves in his stomach churned. Gregor knew, better than most, that Alia did not like to be pushed around and she liked to see her family pushed around even less. She was ready to snap, he felt it under his mostly synthetic skin.

Alia placed her mask on her face to hide her tears of anger. "In ten minutes, Oogie took everything from us! Well, he's not going to get away with it! We're going to make him suffer! We're going to make him pay!"

The boys exchange confused glances. "_Make Oogie Boogie pay?"_

(Caliber): _"It's far too risky"_

(Halberd): _"Dude, no way!"_

(Alia; kicking Hal' in the ass): _"You better grow a set of balls!"_

(Halberd): _"Fine, count us in!"_

(Caliber): _"Get ready to brawl!"_

(All): _"It's balls to the wall!_

_La la la la la la La la la la la La la la la la la La la la la la!"_

_"__Death to Oogie Boogie! Make the bastard pay!_

_Chase him out of town and then_

_Torture him all day!"_

(Alia): _"The moment he's fully restrained_

_We'll poke around his twisted brain_

_Once we know all of his fears_

_We'll drive his sorry ass to tears!"_

(Caliber; climbing on a tombstone): _"Oh, we'll do much worse than that_

_We'll beat him up with wooden bats_

_And if he pleads for us to stop_

_No matter what, we'll keep it up!"_

(All): _"Death to Oogie Boogie! Rip off all his limbs!_

_Scatter them across the woods_

_Throw them to the wind!"_

(Alia): _"If Mr. Oogie Boogieman_

_Manages to get up again..."_

(Caliber: mixing two potion-filed vials): _"One whiff of this will freeze him stiff-_

(All): _"Then we'll toss him off a cliff!_

_WEEEEE!"_

(Halberd): _"If we take some lit torches _

_And hold them against his chest_

_He'll light up like a beacon and_

_Will quickly turn to ash!"_

(Caliber): _"No, you dip-shit, think now_

_If we were to set him ablaze _

_That would leave no carcass_

_Then we couldn't piss on his grave!"_

(All): _"Death to Oogie Boogie! Force him to eat shit!_

_Stuff him full until he burst_

_See just how much will fit!_

_Because Mr. Oogie Boogie must be stopped once and for all_

_If we stand united then he will surely fall..._

_Oogie thinks he has us beaten _

_But we __**will**__ have our revenge_

_Sure, our parents will be worried sick_

_But we'll take back out home real quick!"_

(Halberd): _"Aw man, I just can't wait to see-"_

(All): _"How happy they will be- WEEEEE!_

_We're their metal minions _

_And we refuse to hide_

_The Boogieman's about to see_

_Our darkest of dark sides"_

(Gregor: Rubbing his temples): _"Could you bo-tards give this a rest"?_

(Halberd): _"Hey, I'm no bo-tard!"_

(Caliber): _"You're the pest!"_

(Gregor): _"Up yours!"_

(Caliber): _"Screw you!"_

(Alia; forcing them to huddle): _"Hold on, ladies, listen up!_

_This idea kicks hardcore ass-_

_We'll dangle some bugs on a rope_

_Use them to lure him in a cave_

_And once he's under the doorway _

_We'll dump some bleach onto his head_

_And then drag him over glass!"_

(All): _"Death to Oogie Boogie! Turn him inside out!_

_Stomp all over his innards, splatter them about!_

_Death to Oogie Boogie! Feed him to rabid wolves! _

_Watch them chew him to bits while giggling like fools!_

_Death to Oogie Boogie! Grind him into puss!_

_Make him regret the day he ever fucked with uuuuus!"_

The trio cackled insanely, still thinking up ways to exact their revenge on the Boogieman. Gregor growled under his breath in frustration. "Guys, I want you to do two things for me. One: write down everything you just spewed out beacuse that was metal gold and two: **SHUT UP** BECAUSE I THINK I FUCKING HEAR SOMETHING!"

The trio raced to the door and tried their hardest to listen in.

Inside, Edgar sat, hunched over in his chair, squeezing his skull in a desperate attempt to drown out the arguing. Everyone was shouting, trying to overpower the other person's voice with there's. No progress had been made. No one plan settled upon. Finally, Edgar couldn't take it anymore. He stood, contorting his face into a gruesome scowl before shouting "SHUT UP!"

The room became silent. All eyes were on Edgar. He cleared his throat, stalling to organize his thoughts. "Here's what we're going to do. After I announce my apology at Town Hall, I will issue a warning that Oogie has returned and offer a cash reward to anyone who can give me information on him or the poltergeist. If the citizens protest, Shock, you and I will have to come up with a plan of action. None of us is to go looking for them. If they want to start something, let them come to us, agreed?"

"Agreed." The others replied.

"As for the kids- there's no safe place for them here, therefore, we'll send them where Oogie can't get to them- immediately! Before he can even get a good idea of what they look like."

"Where?" Thicket asked.

"Christmas Town."

Lock frowned. "I seriously, seeeeriously doubt Sandy Claws would take in _our_ kids."

"He'll do it." Jack assured him. "He would never refuse to help a child."

"Do we really have to send them away? Barrel and I can jus' stay in the pumpkin patch with my folks. Halberd'll have four people watching him. And if Lock and Thicket stay with Ed, AP should be safe in Manor-"

"I hate to say it" Shock interrupted Hester with a heavy sigh. "But Oogie's an expert at breaking and entering. He taught us every trick in the book. The only reason he used us as henchmen was because we were lumplings and couldn't be penalized for doing his dirty work."

"For all we know, Oogie's shadow could be watching us right now." Barrel added. "Even in hiding with our protection, there's no guarantee he wouldn't come after them to get to us."

Sally looked to Jack. "You don't think Oogie would try to hurt Gregor do you?"

Jack paused. "To be honest, I wouldn't put it past him. He hates me the most. Eventually, he'll come here looking for trouble."

"Look, no one will get hurt if we keep our guards up" Edgar spoke gently to calm his worried loved ones. "At least we know what kind of trouble he can throw at us right?"

Lock snorted. "For every twisted prank he taught us, he kept ten more, twice a dangerous, to himself. If he's gathering new henchmen there might not even be a Halloween this year."

"No!" Edgar slammed his fist in his palm. "I **will** get Halloween back on tack come Hell or high water! But I'm going to need all the cooperation I can get, okay? So, all agreed, say 'Aye', all opposed say 'No'."

Lock looked to the others. They were all skeptical. It was heartbreaking, but there seemed to be no other option.

"Aye..." Everyone sighed in unison.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Boogie List; Victim 1 (The Arachnids)

Beneath the tree house and beyond the casino, passageways stretched on for miles. They twisted and turned, housing abandoned dungeons, murky underground rivers and molten lava pits. Above ground were the barren forests of Halloween that grew in perpetual darkness. Below were treacherous caves formed by sentient hands.

Oogie treaded through the undergrounds with his broad chest out and his head held confidently high. He savored the dingy stench of the caves, almost nostalgically. The moment a silvery sheen appeared on the stone's surface he knew he had reached the Black Widow's colony.

He stomped passed an assembly line of spider women spinning webs over the cave formations. They gasped then fled at the sight of him. Oogie laughed. He hadn't expected a warm welcome.

Eventually he came to the throne room of the colony- a coliseum-like chamber with fifty some odd balconies covered in webbing stacked nearly to the surface. Female widows huddled together in the balconies, watching. In the middle was a huge dais one could only climb onto by a winding crudely chiseled staircase. A hundred drones, smaller cream-colored male widows, sat on the steps. They had assembled there for two purposes: to mate with Matriarch, their queen and to kill anything that dared to stand in their way of mating.

The large burlap sack standing before them posed as a threat and they glared at him intensely. Oogie was not intimidated. "It's been too long, Legs." Oogie disrespectfully greeted Matriarch with a sly grin on his face. "Missed me?"

The queen widow hissed, leading forward in her throne of webs, fangs exposed. "Well, well, well...Oogie Boogie. You have some nerve showing your face around here."

"Aw, come on...we had some good times, remember?"

She scowled, burning holes through him with her six green eyes. "If you consider fleeing our engagement and cheating on me every chance you got 'good times' then yes, we had wonderful times. Nice of you to drop by after thirty years of obscurity, by the way."

"Sorry, babe, but I've been a little tied up. It's hard to visit when you're ripped to pieces and rotting for a hellish eternity." He sneered.

Unamused by his sarcasm, Matriarch hissed, "What do you want, Oogie?"

Oogie approached the dais, smiling up at her in his old seductive fashion she both adored and despised. "You're one cold broad, Leg's. I mustered up the strength to crawl all the way down here just to see your pretty face again and you have to bust my bugs like that?"

Matriarch leaned back, snickering. "Flattery will get you nowhere. Look around you, Oogie; it's mating season. I have all these young drones at my feet, ready to please me any way I wish. What could an old, conniving sack like you have to offer?"

Oogie folded his arms across his chest. "Please, babe, we both know none of these are larvae man enough for you."

A drone hissed, swiping his claws when Oogie ventured too close. The others began to snarl, but Matriarch motioned for them to be silent. "Stand down, boys!" She ordered. "Let him through."

Begrudgingly, the drones kneeled, allowing Oogie to climb up. They scowled at him as he passed. He simply returned their gestures with an obnoxiously triumphant grin. When he reached the top, Matriarch stood, revealing her shimmering red and black exoskeleton.

"You're still the bad king of bugs I remembered." She sighed before embracing him in her six arms and giving him a passionate kiss.

Oogie laughed inwardly. Matriarch seemed tough as nails on the inside, but inside she was soft as slime. She's the biggest push over Oogie knew, next to Noogie. "I know I haven't been the most reliable monster in town, but I'm going to make it up to you." He cooed, stroking her back as she gently rested her head on his chest. I'm going to make all your dreams come true, Legs. The dreams we used to talk about before that boney bastard, Jack, got in our way." He added irritably. "I just need you to do me a little favor..."

In a neighboring colony, Noogie was trying to sweet-talk Empress, the scorpion queen. He hadn't much luck so far.

Empress's barbed tail twitched with annoyance. She sat on her jagged stone throne, glaring at Noogie with six red eyes. "I've had enough!" He shouted, pounding her fist against the arm of the throne.

Her bodyguards, fellow females, but slightly smaller with plain black exoskeletons as apposed to Empress's orange, grey and black exoskeleton, jumped in front of Noogie, pointing their tails at him- the only weapons they needed.

Noogie backed off. "Oh come on, babe, you know you're my only!"

Empress rolled her eyes. "I'm not stupid, Noogie. Word around the chasm is you found yourself some banshee bride while you 'toured' the real world." She laughed spitefully. "She can go ahead and _keep_ you! I don't need the headache."

Noogie faked a shocked expression. "Whoa, you heard what? I never married, babe. You're the only women to ever tame me!" He lied right through his nonexistent teeth.

Empress smirked, resting her chin on her hand. "You're a creep, Noogie. A dirty, two-faced, parasitic creep..." She waved her hand, motioning for her guards to back down. "Get over here you..."

Noogie rushed over and swept Empress up in his arms. He kissed her, stroking her back and hips. Seducing Empress would be a synch during mating season. The females were so hocked up on hormones they would do anything for a round of sex. And the ol' Boogie charm never failed to wow a dame, especially a trashy dame. As for Dixie, what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her...

Edgar walked Lock, Thicket and Shock back to Skellington Manor. Barrel and Hester left for the pumpkin patch and the kids were to stay with Jack until their departure for Christmas town the next morning.

The discussion in the graveyard had left everyone emotionally drained. They walked slowly, dragging their feet and hanging their heads.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay at the Manor?" Edgar offered Shock. "There's plenty of room."

"No thanks, Ed." She declined. "I'll just find rent a room in town somewhere."

"I'd be a lot more comfortable if we stuck close by each other." Lock admitted. "I don't want us getting separated."

"He's right, Shock, stay with us." Thicket begged.

Shock shook her head no. "It would look suspicious if I shacked up at Ed's place. The paparazzi are going to have a field day as it is."

"I suppose you're right." Edgar agreed with a sigh. "How are you going to break the news to Hatchet?"

Shock shrugged. "I'm just going to tell him Cal's staying in Christmas Town for safety's sake. He'll throw a huge shit fit, but I don't care. Oogie can sneak around the catacombs waaay too easily. Cal' would be as good as dead if I let him go home." She frowned. "If Hatchet even _tries_ to argue with me about this one, I'll stomp his nuts in."

Thicket looked to her feet. "The kids were so upset. I don't know if I can let them go."

Lock placed a sympathetic arm around her shoulder. "They'll be alright. Sandy Claws will have a harder time than they will."

Edgar couldn't help but snicker. "I'm temped to spring for a camera. I'd hate to miss a moment of this little misadventure."

"They're not _that_ bad" Thicket sneered defensively.

Shock smiled. "No, they're worse, just like we raised them." She frowned, suddenly overwhelmed with sadness. "Dammit, this sucks limp dick! If I could get my hands on Oogie I'd-"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Lock interrupted. "Let's just get some rest. We'll figure out where to go from here tomorrow."

Shock nodded in agreement. "Well, I guess I'll see you later. 'Night, guys."

"Night, Shock." The others replied in unison before parting.

Edgar escorted Lock and Thicket inside. "You're welcome to any guestroom, any bathroom, anything in the kitchen and Lock, I swear to God, if you screw up my entertainment system I'll rip off your pecker and shove it up your ass!" He threatened Lock the moment he spotted the sneaky devil sprinting towards the TV.

Lock stopped at the couch, staring down at it with a startled expression. "Hey, Ed! You- you still have these slith's around?"

Edgar turned around after hanging up his jacket. "Yeah, why?"

Lock pointed down. The sliths were huddled together on the couch watching season one of Spongebob on DVD. They could barely fit all five at once because somehow over the course of the afternoon they had become almost as tall as Lock. Their muscles had toned up a bit too, even Bill's.

Edgar jumped, startled by their transformation. "Wha- what happened to you guys?"

The sliths finally looked away from the TV to acknowledge him. "Ed, we're hungry, feed us please." Kirk parroted in a cracked, raspy voice of a young teenaged boy.

Edgar was too melancholy to notice the improvement in their vocabulary. "Oh come on, fellows. I've had a shitty day. Don't I get a 'hello' first?"

"Hello Ed. We're hungry, feed us please." Ripper repeated.

Edgar sighed. "Dammit! You guys consumed everything in my kitchen this morning! There's no way you can be hungry!"

"Well, you said we couldn't eat the cats-" Bill reminded him.

"And the furniture is off limits too-" Skelter added.

"We tried eating the rats, but there weren't enough of them." Kirk explained. "We're still hungry."

Edgar's eye sockets widened. Skellington Manor was overrun with rats and they ate them all...? He turned to Lock with a desperate look in his eye. "Dude, you think you can make a pot of snake and spider stew? _Quick_?"

Lock grinned proudly. "You bet your boney ass I can." He ran towards the kitchen, pulling Thicket along with him. "Ed! You catch the spiders! We'll tackle the snakes!"

"Okay...!" Edgar groaned as he began to search the house for spiders.

The sliths followed him, mimicking his movements, but didn't actually help look. Despite his aggravation, Edgar didn't regret the new arrangements. After all, it was nice to have company. In the back of his head, he knew his afterlife would soon become unbearable...

a/n: Reviews...? Okay, enough whining. Matriarch and her black widow army are older villains of mine. Empress and her scorpion army are new, but their character designs are similar to Matriarchs: six-armed insect women with sexy curves and mean fangs. Only Empress has the poison tipped tail. I didn't think I described them too well before. I didn't want to interrupt the flow of the story. Hope I'm not the only one with that problem. Thanks for reading guys and please review. I'm feeling a lack of love here...


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Good Will Towards Ghouls

The icy winds of Christmas Town blew with unrelenting force. It was nighttime and would remain nighttime throughout the rest of winter. Although completely outraged by their parent's decision, Gregor and the other lumplings were too cold to protest (prior to their entrance through the holiday door, however, they complained non-stop).

The bright lights and tinsel provided no cheer. Even Jack found himself unable to smile. The circumstances of his visit were too grave. The trio trudged through the snow, holding their shivering children close. Jack and his family didn't have to huddle together for warmth, nor did Hester or Halberd. Their undead bodies functioned as normal in the town's subzero temperatures. The others felt as though they would reach hypothermia at any moment.

"W-w-winter w-w-w-wonder land my pointy tailed ass!" Lock hissed through chattering teeth. Sally had sewn him and the others coats for the trip, but they only provided so much warmth.

"Q-q-q-quit w-w-w-whining!" Shock snapped, clutching Caliber close. "W-w-we're almost there, right J-J-Jack?"

"No worries, fellows, the workshop is just over the next hill."

Gregor inched closer to his father. Elves stared at him and his loved ones through their home and shop windows. Some cowered in fear, others glared at them with uttermost contempt. The little creatures were almost used to skeleton Jack popping in for a visit every so often, but they did not like the idea of a whole mass of ghouls creeping around their streets.

Gregor did his best to ignore them. He prayed that they would run into Chuck, Paul or Jason, so a local friend could guide them...

In Santa's workshop, the annual Christmas rush was in progress. The toy factory boomed with productivity while ol' Chris Cringle and his son, Chuck oversaw production. Little by little, Chuck took on more responsibilities in the workshop each year. He rarely showed as much youthful enthusiasm towards his Santa duties as his father. Still, he did his job and did it right which was all his father asked of him.

Another box of brown teddy bears filled up then a box of white bears in behind it. The worker elves stared as Santa and Chuck each picked up a crate and hauled them over to the west wall for storage. It would have taken six worker elves or even three blizzard elves to complete the task as quickly. Humans are such bulky, awkward creatures, but their strength can be quite remarkable at times.

Chuck grunted as he pushed the crate on top of the stack. "Just ten more hours of this and we can call it quits."

Santa laughed. "The sleigh won't require so much lifting. The crane should be fixed any day now."

"Hey, I'm not complaining. A 150-pound deer or a 150-pond crate. Makes no difference to me."

"The less time you spend hunting, the better. How do you expect the reindeer to pull your sleigh when you spend every morning shooting their brethren in the head?"

"Shut up, hippie." Chuck mimicked Eric Cartman almost flawlessly. "There's a Christmas tree in the lobby, go hug it."

They shared a laugh before stacking another pair of crates. Meanwhile, Jack Frost walked around each assembly belt jotting down numbers on his clipboard. Whenever he passed a worker, they quickened their pace. Mr. Frost was the only elf in Christmas Town with a stare as frightening as a Halloween ghoul.

"Careful, you don't hurt your back Mr. Cringle." Frost reminded him.

Santa threw a crate to Chuck who stood over ten feet away. "Why don't you leave the record keeping to Eliot and give us a hand?" Santa suggested with a playful smirk he reserved just for his old elvish friend. "Come on, Jack, pull up your sleeves."

Frost frowned. "Very funny Mr. Cringle. This sort of drudgery was meant for your kind, not mine."

"Has a point dad. His skinny arms couldn't keep up." Chuck teased.

Frost was about to make a snippy reply when one of the younger lavender-haired she-elves tugged on his suit tails and announced. "Mr. Skellington and company request to see Mr. Cringle."

Frost looked up at the doorway and spotted the lot of spooks, shivering off the cold. "Mr. Cringle!" He called to Santa, voice cracking. "It's the skeleton!"

Chuck dropped his crate and ran over to greet them. "Hey! What's up, guys?" He asked, giving each of his guest quick hugs.

Santa made his way over to them wearing a warm smile. "Merry Christmas. I was hoping to get a visit from you pretty soon."

"Where's Ed?" Chuck asked. "Didn't he come too?"

"Not this year." Jack answered; his expression grim. "He's tending to a... a small crisis back home. Which is part of the reason we came. Mr. Claus, we need to ask a huge favor of you-"

Santa motioned for silence. "We'll discuss this in the den. Charles, you keep sorting the toys. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Chuck nodded in agreement and returned to work. Frost watched as Santa left the shop and began to panic.

"ELIIOT! I'M ON BREAK! TAKE MY POSITION!" He handed the smaller elf his clipboard and ran after them.

In the den, Santa and the others tried to get comfortable. The lumplings ran right for the fireplace to warm up. "Alright, Jack, what is the emergency?"

Jack paused, fidgeting with his collar. "Well...I don't quite know how to put this, but-"

"Oogie's back from the undead and he's totally after us!" Barrel blurted out (then promptly received a jab in the stomach from Lock).

Santa's eyes widened. "Is this true? That boogieman thing is back?"

"Yes, Mr. Claus," Jack answered. "But he won't come anywhere near Christmas, I assure you. Halloween is the only holiday in jeopardy." He added quickly.

"What do you expect _us_ to do about it?" Frost sneered.

Jack scowled at him. "I don't _expect_ anything. I was hoping you and Mrs. Claus would watch our little ones until we catch Oogie and bring him in. They're in danger back home. We think they would be much safer in your hands."

"You have some nerve, Mr. Skellington! Asking him to baby-sit this close to-"

"Shut up Jack" Santa ordered.

"But, Mr. Cringle-"

Santa scowled up at him and growled under his breath- an almost certain sign of an ass kicking. "Will you excuse us for a moment? We'll be right back..."

Everyone stared as Santa dragged Frost into the kitchen by his holly bowtie. Alia and her cousins snickered. The others listened in; trying to decipher what was being whispered in elvish just in the other room.

"What's going on?" Mrs. Claus asked as Frost and her husband entered the kitchen.

"It's that skeleton, Mrs. Claus! He's dragging trouble from his town into ours!" Frost answered. "Chris, you can't take those little monsters in! We have only weeks until Christmas and with so much malfunctioning in the workshop-"

"I understand the situation, Jack, but they're our friends. I wouldn't show much Christmas spirit if I just sent them away."

Frost slapped himself in the forehead. "You can't be serious! Take a look at what's sitting on your furniture- the same three hoodlums who almost fed you to that Oogie monster! Their children don't deserve your help."

"Their children had nothing to do with what happened way back then. You can argue with me all you want, Jack, but I'm going to help them. Hope wouldn't mind looking after children again, would you, dear?"

Mrs. Claus smiled. "No, I wouldn't mind at all."

"But they're not _real_ children! They're demonic little imps at best. They'll burn down the shop! They'll wedge the poor elves in the gears! You'll never remove the smell rotting flesh from this place if you let them stay."

"Enough Jack!" Santa barked. "Get back to work and not another word about this, understand?"

"But- but..."

Santa puffed out his chest and balled his hands into fist at his sides.

Frost gave up. He knew he couldn't take on his old bearded friend and win. "Pig-headed humans." Frost griped as he left for the workshop. "Never listen to reason. Always throwing their weight around-"

Mrs. Claus giggled as Santa mimicked Frost's grumbling with hand movements.

Antsy, Jack and the others looked up as Santa returned with Mrs. Claws. "The children are welcome to stay."

The kids groaned. They each received a death glare and/or a slap in the head. Jack stood and shook their hands. "Thank you, Mr. Claus. You have no idea how much this means to us."

"Yeah, thanks, Sandy." Barrel shook his hand as well.

"We owe you one, Sandy." Shock added with a relived sigh.

"Sandy, if the kids give you trouble, just smack them around a bit." Lock suggested.

"Dad!" Alia groaned. "You bastard!"

"I can't believe you're doing this to us!" Caliber hissed, crossing his arms.

"And to think we were gonna avenge you!"

Gregor stomped on Halberd's foot. "It's okay, Mr. Claws. They're just upset."

"Understandable." Santa replied.

Lock tapped the old human on the shoulder and whispered. "You can use your cane or even your belt if you have to."

Santa laughed. "Only if I have to, but it shouldn't come to that."

Back in Halloween, Edgar stood at the just recently refurnished Town Hall, facing an unruly, outraged audience. He leaned against the podium wearily. Inwardly he prayed for God to strike him with a lightening bolt powerful enough to turn him to dust.

"Please, people! Just hear me out!" He begged. "Things simply got out of control. But no one was harmed and the damage to your property will be repaired with courtesy of the Town Treasury." He assured them. "The currently unnamed poltergeist is the least of our worries-"

"Yeah! The least of _our_ worries!" The monster under the bed shouted from a side pew. "It's a shame that ghost is the only one in town with enough balls to say what's needed to be said for years now!"

"Oh pipe down!" Mr. Hyde shouted. "Can't you see the boy has something important to say?"

"You're just defending him because he drinks at your bar! The drunk!"

"You have a problem with my pub, Harlequin?" Hyde shouted at the flamboyant bugaboo, revealing his second, third and fourth selves.

"Enough!" Edgar shouted over the commotion. "We have reason to believe Oogie Boogie has returned from the grave! He's mobile, potentially armed, and very dangerous!"

The audience gasped. Satin raised his hand, wearing a mischievous grin. "Whose we, Edgar? What does the mayor have to say about all this?"

"Yes! Where is the little skank?" One of the witch elders asked.

Edgar tugged at his tie nervously. "She's away, taking care of family business, but the mayor and I are investigating-"

"Bullshit you are!" The Crow man gatekeeper waved his black wing dismissively. "I watch the Town's border all day and I've yet to see any trace of Oogie Boogie! The skeleton's making up stories to distract us from the real issue!"

"Oogie dwells underground, dumbass! Of course you haven't seen him!" Dr. Finklestein shouted from the back of the room. "You probably fell asleep on the job while that poltergeist snuck into town too!"

"Wait a minute- your lab was the only building untouched!" The Hanging Tree mentioned suspiciously. "Have you any theories on why that is, Doctor?"

"Are you saying _I_ had something to do with this? You're out of your mind! Every Goddamn person here is out of their minds!"

Suddenly the room was in an uproar. It was the Town Square riot all over again. Edgar buried his face in the podium. "I _really_ hope things are going better in Christmas Town..."

Jack and the others gathered around to say their farewells.

Sally gently stroked Gregor's hair. "Don't worry dear; this is just a temporary arrangement until we fix things back home."

Gregor's face remained emotionless. "I know mom. I'll be okay."

"Watch over the others." Jack instructed. "Make sure they don't cause too much trouble."

"I will, dad."

Sally did her best to hold back tears. "Are you sure you'll be okay? You've never left home for this long bef-"

"I'll be fine." Gregor repeated. "You two go. Do what you need to do. Tell Edgar I said good luck."

Sally nodded then she and Jack gave him one last hug.

The other children received similar gestures of comfort, however noogies and play punches were involved. Santa escorted the adults to the door, allowing them to look back at their lumplings just once more before leaving.

Caliber and Halberd crowded around Alia. They cowered in the middle of the room feeling isolated and lost in its festively cheery and unlethal decor. A glint of terror appeared in their eyes. The boys began to sniffle and then cry. Alia hugged her sobbing cousins and began to tear up herself. Gregor looked to his feet. He didn't feel the need to cry, but he couldn't quite shake the feeling of abandonment either.

"Calm down, it'll be alright..." Mrs. Claus approached them timidly. "Your parents will come back for you very soon."

"If they come back at all." Alia sneered, wiping her teary eyes dry with her sleeve. "Fan-freaking-tastic! We've been abandoned in a giant snowstorm with a bunch of squeaky little elves and penguins!"

"You never know. You may have fun here." Mrs. Claus scooted them towards the door. "Chuck will take your things up to the guest rooms later. I'll give you a tour of the shop. Then you can go play in the arcade. Does that sound good?"

Halberds face lit up. "Arcade? No way! Screw the tour! Just take us there!"

"Shut up, Hal'!" Gregor scolded. "You're making us look bad."

"So? We don't _want_ to be here. Why should make things easy for them?"

Gregor snatched him by the collar and whispered into his ear, "Because they were nice enough to take us in, bo-tard..."

"Boys! No bickering!" Mrs. Claus begged as she yanked them apart. "The arcade is just down those stairs. You may play with whatever you-"

Before she could finish, the trio ran down the stairs yelling "WEEEEEE!" with Gregor scurrying behind them. She sighed, shaking her head. "So, they think I can't handle everything they could possibly throw at me?" She asked herself aloud, although a few passing worker elves overheard. She chuckled. "They just don't know me well enough yet."

In the arcade, the trick-or-treating trio was having the time of their lives.

"Dude! They've got EVERYTHING down here!" Halberd shouted as he and Caliber climbed inside the play fort.

"I know!" Caliber replied. "Indoor plumbing, central heat, videogames, TV- It's like Uncle Ed's house, but more colorful!"

"All this place needs is a couple of knives, swords, clubs, and spears and it would be paradise!" Alia added. "We'll just have to substitute weapons with kitchenware and hard plastic toys, I guess."

Gregor listened from the highest tower of the fort. He sprawled out on the floor, sticking his long legs out the window and staring up at the ceiling. "I have to admit, this place rocks."

"Hey, you've been to Christmas Town before" Halberd stuck his head inside, grinning. "Why didn't you ever tell us Santa's place is so cool?"

Gregor shrugged. "I guess I never thought about it."

"Yeah, cause you're used to your yuppie graveyard house and Skellington Manor!" Alia sneered mockingly, stumbling into the tower through a woven ladder. "Mucky muck Gregor Skellington gets to sleep in a warm bed and eat the really good hotdogs all year around."

"You suck, Greg!"

"The workshop isn't _that_ great. I mean, there are no bugs to eat or lizards to play with." He reminded them.

The trio snickered. "We know you don't really care about that stuff." Caliber teased. "Don't try to deter us!"

"Piss off guys; I'm trying to think here!"

"About what?" Halberd asked, taking a seat in the corner.

"Well...I know this sounds crazy, but I was feeling some pretty bad vibes back in Halloween. For months, every time I went outside to practice some chords, I felt like this- this evil cloud was following me or something. Then all Hell broke loose back in Halloween and the bad vibes just kept coming."

Alia cocked her head in confusion. "And...you're still getting these vibes or-"

"No." Gregor answered. "I- I don't feel anything now. Ever since we stepped foot here, I can't sense a thing."

"Isn't that...good?" Caliber asked, confused himself.

"No! It's bad, very bad! Something horrible could be happening to our families, but I have no sure way of sensing danger. We need to go back."

The trio groaned. "Are you freaking kidding me?" Alia screeched. "All through yesterday you kept trying to convince us that coming here like our parents said was the right thing to do! Now that we're here and we have a freaking arcade and a big-ass fort to play with, our own bedrooms to sleep in, a warehouse of skittish elves to prank and all the really good hotdogs we can eat- NOW you say we should go home? Fuck you, Greg!"

"Edgar could be in huge trouble!"

"When is he _not_ in huge trouble?" Alia argued. "Uncle Ed can hold his own."

"And even if he can't, we're powerless to help him. Your dad put a seal on the holiday doors. We can't return home." Caliber reminded him.

"Yeah, and Christmas Town graveyards don't connect with Halloween either." Halberd added. "We're kind of screwed."

"We're not screwed." Gregor corrected him. "If we escaped to the real world we could enter Halloween through a cemetery there."

Alia's tail twitched with annoyance. "Greg, think for a second. This place is surrounded by miles and miles of snowy barren tundra. It's ten times colder than a witch's tit outside! Cal' and I would freeze to death trying to escape and you and Hal' would just freeze. How in candy-coated _fuck_ are we supposed to get to the real world from here?"

Gregor paused to think. "I...I don't know." He finally answered. "But I'll think of a way."

The trio exchanged sarcastic glances. "Fine, whatever, but in the meantime, we're going to enjoy the arcade and the really good hotdogs." Alia informed him.

Gregor sat up, giving her a strange look. "What's with you and hotdogs today?"

"Have you tried Hope's hotdogs? They're _really_ good hotdogs!"

"Whatever..." Gregor hung halfway out the window, struggling to think clearly. "I guess we could lay low for a little while and practice some songs together." Suddenly an idea struck him. "We should find Chuck and make him give us music lessons!"

"Oh fucking-A!" Alia agreed. "My Beast has been going to waste since last Christmas."

"That's because you can't play for shit." Caliber sneered.

Alia punched him in the stomach. "I'm left-handed asshole! I can't pick the strings right!"

"Chuck'll help you out." Halberd assured her as he climbed out of the tower. "Let's track him down and do a little exploring."

The trio cackled as they masked their faces and hopped out of the fort. Gregor smiled as he followed them, hungry for a little adventure himself.

a/n: Quick update hu? I figured I might as well post this because my school work is piling up and I might not be updating too often for a while. I have to buckle down and study my brains out until the end of the semester. Poop...Anyways, I'm not giving up on this story, just updting a little slower. Please read and review anyways ). Thanks, guys. Rock on


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: A Multitude of Embroilment

"Meeting adjourned everyone. Thank you for coming" Edgar was never so happy to make an announcement. He disappeared behind the curtain as the crowd left, mumbling, "Don't let the door hit in you in the ass, folks."

Edgar dragged himself over to a small table placed in the corner. He poured a shot of whisky and gulped it down. He opened his eye sockets as he leaned back and spotted a crouched figure crawling on the ceiling. "Who's there?"

"Relax, it's just us."

Edgar looked forward. Wrath crawled down the wall until he was eye level with him. In addition to the initial shock, Dusk tapped his shoulder. Edgar spun around, startled, but sighed with relief when he saw her face. "You don't have to sneak up on people until Halloween, you know."

"Sounds like you've been having a rough week." She said, her expression staid.

"No freaking kidding" Edgar replied with a nervous chuckle. "I wake up the other morning and my whole life went to shit! All my friends are pissed at me, then they're in mortal danger of getting snuffed by my dad's old fright rival, _another_ crazed ghoul, whom I've never met, turned the whole town against me in a hell-bent attempt on my life, my minions are morphing into demonic garbage disposals who only drink strawberry milk and coffee then fly through my windows, and- and the _dreams_ where Eddie keeps being vague-"

"Shhhhh!" Wrath begged, holding Edgar's jaw shut. "Promise to stay calm and I'll let go." Edgar nodded in agreement so he released him.

He took a deep breath. "Sorry...I'm sort of freaking out right now."

"I don't blame you." Dusk mentally kicked herself. That wasn't the _smoothest_ response in the world. She quickly changed subjects. "Did Shock and the others actually see Oogie?"

"Of course they did! The dick attacked the casino the other day. My parents took them to Christmas Town to hide all the kids." Edgar explained, whispering.

"Are you sure it wasn't Noogie?" Dusk suggested. "I mean, Oogie's been dead for ages. With a decent set of hands and a seam ripper, Noogie could pass for Oogie easily."

"The guys sounded pretty sure. You should have seen the look on Lock's face. It was a total deer in the headlights, completely fear-stricken stare. It gave _me_ chills!"

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Wrath hissed. "Don't you think this concerns us after the _last_ Boogie assault on your carcass?"

Edgar looked to his feet. "It all happened so suddenly, I- the meeting was the quickest way to get the word out. Not that it did much good."

"We live right next door." Dusk reminded him curtly. "All you had to do was drop in last night and let us know."

"I didn't want to get you involved." Edgar confessed. "There's... a chance the twins could be in danger. I would never forgive myself if your family was hurt trying to help me."

"You let me- us-" Wrath corrected himself when he noticed Dusk scolding him. "Worry about our family. Someone has to watch your back, and right now, not too many people are jumping to do it."

"Not that anyone really believes all those rumors." Dusk added quickly.

Edgar chuckled, hanging his head. "Yes they do, most of them anyways." He sighed. "But I would rather let them think I'm a crooked king then to prove them wrong by investigating a series of lynchings."

"Let us help you. We're fully capable of handling any boogieman." Dusk implored, placing a gentle claw on his shoulder. "What if someone comes after you? You could get hurt or-"

"I won't get hurt." Edgar assured them. "I was just a stupid kid when Noogie tricked me, but I'm not a stupid kid anymore. Besides, this is a totally different situation."

Wrath held his head in his hand and sighed. "You're wrong for two reasons. One: this situation might be as different as you think. Two: you are _still_ a stupid kid."

"_Wrath_!"

"It's true!"

"Neither of you are to have anything to do with Oogie Boogie or me from this point on!" Edgar ordered.

The couple stared at him, stammering "But- but-"

Edgar motioned for silence. "Look, you saved my boney ass in the past, and I have yet to fully repay you, but as far as the town is concerned, _that_ incident never happened and there will be no incident to cover up _this_ time. _Please_! You shouldn't have to protect me. _I'm_ the Pumpkin King! _I_ should be the one protecting you. I can't allow you to get tangled in this mess. The same goes for the guys too."

The couple remained silent. After a long pause, Wrath breathed a heavy grunt-like sigh and said. "Every ounce of my common sense is telling me I'm going to regret saying this, but you have a point. If there is even the slimmest chance the twins could get hurt, we should stay out of this."

"But we're still going to keep a sharp lookout." Dusk added, pressing her finger against Edgar's ribcage. "We know you didn't ask us to help you, but we did it anyways and we'll do it again if we have to, with or without your permission. Deal?"

Edgar cracked a weak smile. It felt comforting to know he still had friends, but he couldn't accept their assistance. What friend would he possibly be to them if he did? "No deal. You'll do as I say for your own good." He shoved past them, heading towards the exit. Before he reached for the door, he turned to them and said "But, thank you for sticking by me."

Edgar escaped out the back to avoid any paparazzi. The couple followed him. "Hey, you you're supposed to be keeping your distance from me." He reminded them, not bothering to look back.

Wrath swooped down alongside Edgar then landed to walk. "Ed, you're a twit. You've always been a twit and will continue to be a twit long into the future. And, with all do respect, this new poltergeist rival of yours might have a one up on you, but I still pledged my allegiance to you and will watch out for whether you want me to or not."

Edgar sighed, caving in. "I could kick myself in the pubic bones for ever befriending a gargoyle."

"Half gargoyle." Dusk corrected him (just to tease her frowning husband). "He stalks just as well as he guards."

Edgar chuckled, feeling slightly calmer. "Yeah, yeah...Do you really have to walk me home?"

"A lot can happen within two blocks." Wrath explained. "We'll split up at your front gate."

"What if I wanted to stop at the bar tonight?"

They shot him scolding glances. Dusk pointed down the street as if to say 'March!' Edgar sighed then continued walking.

An assembly line of elves attentively manned the wooden soldier machine. Five stood towards the finishing end of the line, placing bayonet rifles in the soldiers' hands. The shortest one jumped as he felt something cold whisk against his backside. He checked his pockets and sure enough, felt something missing. "Hey!" He sneered to his coworkers. "Who took my cigarettes?"

Caliber snickered as he slipped into the shadows of the winding crevices of the machinery. Once he felt certain he had crawled to a safe spot, he lowered his hood and leaned against the wall. "We're set for winter, AP!" He announced proudly as he lit a stolen cigarette and took a smooth drag. "Oh...that's nice..." He cooed, releasing a cloud of smoke. "If I hadn't gotten a hold of these, I would've ripped someone's head off."

"Put one aside for me." Alia whispered as she peeped out into the busy workshop. She grinned mischievously as she lowered her black horned mask. "Is everybody in costume?"

Halberd lowered his stained hockey mask, flashed the metal salute, and said. "Ready, AP."

Caliber pulled up his hood, lowered his white tragedy mask, and flashed the salute. "Ready."

AP stuck her arm into the light and flashed the metal salute to Gregor, who had been designated the 'innocent goodie goodie' distracter.

Once Gregor signaled her back, she whispered, "Go!"

The trio dashed off into three different directions. Halberd dived into a bin of toys, retrieving two large squeaky balloon hammers; one for Caliber, one for him. The boys cackled madly as they ran in between the assembly lines, bashing elven workers in the back of their head, causing them to mess up the detailing on their craftsmanship and break several hundred toys. They looked about, vexed, but were unable to spot the pranksters.

Alia snuck into the bakery and poured bags of salt into the mixers. Then she grabbed a few boxes of eggs for a sloppier, but quicker prank. She was chased out of the kitchen and returned to the toyshop where she and her cousins' toilet papered the entire room in half their best time thanks a few jacked scooters.

Gregor could feel his hold on ol' Frost's attention slipping. The old elf glared down at him, cold blue lips tightening. "Listen, you little cyborg. I'm telling you for the last time, I'm trying to-" A startled cry interrupted him.

Frost spun around to find the workshop in complete disarray. Gregor made a run for it before the old elf could turn back around and snatch his collar. He couldn't help but laugh as he looked back over his shoulder. Frost crashed into Santa, leaving them in a pileup. He jumped over a conveyor belt swiftly. "Unbelievable!" Gregor thought. "I'm getting away, scot-free-" Until he collided with something dense.

Chucks frowning face came into his blurry view. "Get up." Chuck ordered as he yanked Gregor to his feet.

"This isn't what it- AHH!" Gregor cried as Chuck twisted his arm nearly out of its stitches and forced him to his knees.

He spotted Santa stepping towards him with AP under one arm and dragging Caliber and Halberd by their ears. The trio struggled, cursing Santa viciously. He ignored them, wearing a neutral expression on his face. He stopped just far enough away from Gregor to drop the trio on the floor without drooping them on him.

"You fat old prick!" Alia sneered.

"Ow..." Caliber whelped, rubbing his sore ear. "Seriously-"

"What's your problem?" Halberd finished fro him, pouting.

Santa crossed his arms, his face serious. Chuck's face had frozen as well. The kids couldn't determine if they were angry or not. "Don't give me that. You little ones were being naughty. And you will apologize to my elves for it."

"That goes for you too, Greg." Chuck added.

The trio only responded with a smirk. Gregor looked to his feet ashamed.

"It wasn't us, Santa." Caliber insisted.

"We've been good, Santa." Alia snickered.

"And if we haven't, why don't you prove it, Santa?" Halberd sneered.

"I'm not dumb, Halberd. I have my way of knowing these things. This isn't Halloween." He reminded them. "You can't just pull jokes whenever you feel like it. This is a work zone. You've damaged a lot of toys meant for good children and you could've seriously injured somebody."

"Good children suck!" Halberd replied. He and his cousins snickered.

Santa's expression remained frozen. The trio was in awe. All this sass and not even an eye twitch out of him. "Apologize to my elves." Santa repeated calmly.

"Yes, sir-"

"Shut up, Gregor!" Alia hissed under her breath. "We don't apologize for our tricks." She informed the old man smugly. "You can't make us."

Santa began to unbuckle his belt. Chuck grinned at them in a way that said 'you're in for it now, you poor SOBs.'

The boys backed away. Alia stayed put. "You don't have the balls, Santa!"

Santa held his unfastened belt over his head. Alia's eyes widened as the thick black leather came slamming down at her. She ducked to the floor, turning the broadside of her back upward as if to cushion the upcoming blow. "Okay, you win!"

Santa stopped in mid swing. The children sighed with relief as he refastened his belt. "You really are good kids." He said, smiling pleasantly then turned to his workers and shouted. "I've found the problem, everyone! It's been taken care of! Now listen up, real quick!" He looked down at the kids, face sober.

"Sorry everyone..." The lumplings parroted in unison- some more convincingly then others.

The elves shrugged off the pranks and returned to work. "Very good." Santa commended them. "Now, go back to the house and find Hope. She'll have dinner ready in a little while."

"I'll take them." Chuck offered, scooting them towards the exit. "I'll catch up with you later, okay dad?"

Santa nodded yes and walked off.

Once they were out of earshot, Chuck and the trio started to laugh. Gregor forced a chuckle or two. "What was _that_?" Chuck cried, smacking Gregor in the back of the head. "Its like you guys _wanted_ to get caught back there!"

Alia smirked, crossing her arms. "It was a warm up."

"Elves have good hearing." Caliber added.

"It's hard to sneak by them." Halberd finished.

"I expect better next time." Chuck scolded them. "You're representing your holiday, dammit!"

"Oh yeah, like you've ever pulled a prank." Alia teased.

"Dude, my friends and I've been Christmas wassling before you guys were born. Erotically positioned teddy bears, intercom high jinks, yellow snowballs, semen snowballs – you name it, I've gotten whacked for it."

Alia cringed. "I'm not going to lie, Chuck, your dad scares the crap out of me."

"_All_ Catholics scare the crap out of me." Caliber added. "How did he do it? How was he _not_ irritated and jumbled when we were being so annoying? Was it an elvish spell or one of those...bead prayers you people use so much."

Chuck shook his head. "Nope, it wasn't anything like that. My dad's just incredibly mellow."

"He doesn't _look_ mellow." Alia argued.

"What can I say? He's a fat old German guy. We look pissed even when we're in a good mood." He and the others shared a laugh. Chuck cut his laughter short then added "But, seriously though. Don't bullshit him. He's all fun and games to a point, but when it comes to the gifts, he doesn't screw around."

"Well, at least he doesn't talk to us like we're four like most adults." Alia admitted. "He didn't pull any of that 'do you know what you did, young lady? I want you to sit in the corner and think about your actions' crap!"

Gregor glared down at her. "Yeah, but we're still in trouble! Are you three satisfied? Got it all out of your systems?"

"You know we didn't." Halberd replied, snickering.

"Half those pranks were your idea!" Caliber reminded him.

Chuck looked to Gregor, puzzled. "I was kind of shocked you were in on this." He admitted. "You've never pulled pranks here before."

"It was a lapse in judgment." Gregor assured his human friend.

Alia tugged on Chuck's red hoodie and whispered "Greg's not much of a ghoul."

The others snickered.

"Fuck you, AP! I heard that!"

"Chill out, guys, you don't want my mom pissed at you too. She'll take off her _shoes_ and beat you with them."

"I would not!" Mrs. Claus stepped out into the hallway, holding a nice cooked chicken. "Stop trying to make me look mean."

"Yeah, how could you badmouth your mom like that, Chuck?" Alia teased.

"You should spank him-" Caliber suggested.

"For being a jerk to you, Mrs. Claus." Halberd added.

Mrs. Claus grinned. "Hush up" She ordered. "And go wash for dinner."

The children groaned as if her command meant torture. "Our hands?" Halberd whined.

"No, your bodies. I want you all to shower; you reek."

They groaned even louder.

"No griping!" Mrs. Claus scolded them as she shooed them up the stairs. "Use the guest showers. Towels are in the cabinets. Scrub your hair really good to scrape the dirt out from under your nails! You had better use soap! My husband will know if you don't!" She shouted after them.

After hearing four bathroom doors slam shut, Mrs. Claus started to return to her kitchen. Chuck couldn't help but to laugh at their expense. "Don't mock them, Charles. That's not nice."

"Neither am I."

"Yes you are. You just don't like to admit it."

Chuck responded with an incoherent grunt. Mrs. Claus didn't mind. She knew an invitation to dinner would soften him up.

Though the morning events left him feeling glum, Jack returned to work the moment he and the others returned to Halloween. He would have rather stayed at home to comfort Sally, but his schedule in the cemetery for that day was full and he was hours behind.

Jack passed Trivett on his way to the burial chambers. He and some other young crypt keepers were busy driving post into the ground for more ever-accumulating extensions to the cemetery gate. Jack waved to his co-workers then entered the crypt.

He lit a lantern and grabbed a bucket of freshly removed innards before opening the mausoleum's entrance. Inside was dank and empty aside from a steep stone staircase. Ignoring his uneasiness, Jack climbed down, making sure to keep his head low. He dreaded entering this particular crypt. Most of the graveyard was a peaceful place that sheltered an entire community of ghouls and ghost that stretched to the pumpkin patch and into the forest. Most cemetery dwellers preferred to stay distant from the town. However, the graveyard also contained the town prison and a slaughterhouse/blood bank used to harvest the innards and blood of stray living humans that accidentally found the portal to Halloween town.

As head undertaker, Jack's job included inspecting the prisoners. The worst of the worst were locked up in the dungeons to ensure they would never cause harm to the citizens of Halloween. Jack hesitated as an outburst of ghastly screams and moans erupted from the darkness.

Jack reached the dungeon entrance. He could tell when he no longer needed to duck his head. He lifted his light. It shined on a small cluster of groaning zombies shackled to the wall. They reached out to Jack with the intent to maim. He threw some brains and organs at their feat. They immediately forgot about him and scrambled to feast like wild dogs. Their hunger for brains, (which should have deteriorated a few months after the shock of death worn off like most zombies in Halloween Town), was still brewing within their undead bodies. Jack stepped aside to avoid them. "One, two, three... That's everybody." He announced proudly after making a headcount.

He continued down the hall. Moments later, the screaming became louder. The cries came from a line of disembodied skulls placed on a long table. These poor wretched souls were once full skeletons, but as punishment for their heinous crimes were beheaded, never to reunite with their bodies. After so many years of immobility and silence, the skulls went insane and scream continuously. The same state of insanity is triggered in many of the prisoners, whether skulls, full skeletons or entrapped ghost. The undertakers refer to them as 'crypt wailers'. Luckily, the skull crypt wailers can only scream. Those with bodies still attached slam into walls and lash out at others.

After another headcount, Jack was ready to move on, but one of the crypt wailers caught his eye. The very last skull, once belonging to a female, cried large crocodile tears as she screeched. It was the first sign of real consciousness any crypt whaler had shown in years. Jack cautiously approached her. "Ma'am!" He tried to address her over her screams. "Ma'am! What's the matter? Why are you crying?"

Her eye sockets widened with overwhelming fright. She screamed louder. Jack jumped back, startled. He approached her once more, waving his hand in front of her face. "Ma'am, it's alright! There's nothing in here!"

She continued to scream. Jack gave up and walked away. What was the point in trying to communicate at that point? In the next few cells, ghost of all kinds were imprisoned behind bars, held back from the outside by some sort of magic barrier. They weaved in and out of each other, forming large clouds of ectoplasm. Faces would pop in and out of the cloud, laughing at Jack or screaming obscenities at him. Some even tried to grab his arm or spew on his feet, but Jack forced them back. He wasn't worried about them. Something much bigger and badder waited for him towards the far end of the chamber.

Heavy panting could be heard through the darkness. It came from a beast, bound and gagged in iron chains and a leather muzzle. Jack lifted his lantern only high enough to see its torso. He didn't dare provoke the monster with a bright light.

The Jackalware, as the ancients dubbed him, had no known origin other than that of a savage menace. He looked like a gigantic werewolf, but with dirty golden fur and a bloodlust five times stronger. Any part of the beast that once held a soul, intelligence or a conscience had long sense died. The Jackalware's very existence revolved around rage and hunger, rendering him dangerous and useless for the frightful. In a heartbeat, it would pin Jack to the floor, rip him apart, and use his leg bone to gnaw on.

Jack inched toward it, jumping back every time the creature snarled and tried to break free. Eventually he crept close enough to check and tighten the Jackalware's restraints. He threw some scraps at it then backed away. "That's it for tonight." Jack declared with a relieved sigh. "Everything's in order. I'm getting the heck out of here..."

Jack was about to head for the exit when one of the dungeon walls began to crumble. He turned around, half expecting the Jackalware to be loose, but the beast was still restrained. He searched the cell, trying to find the cause of the crumbling wall. In such blackness and with so many voices yelling at once, he couldn't focus. One thing was for certain, something was trying to break into the dungeon, not escape. Who or whatever it was broke through and before Jack could see what hit him, he fell to the floor, knocked out cold.

"I DON'T CARE! HE'LL GO WHERE I FUCKING SEND HIM AND THAT'S THAT!"

Edgar paused before opening the door. He certainly didn't want to get caught in a lovers quarrel between Shock and Hatchet. He considered turning around right then and just head for the bar like he originally intended, but he couldn't let the sliths tough this out by themselves. Edgar entered and sure enough, Shock and Hatchet were standing in the living room, seconds away from killing each other.

"He's my apprentice!" Hatchet argued. "You had no right to send him away without my consent!"

"Well, he's our son too, asshole! He'd be as good as Oogie food in the catacombs! I'm wasn't about to sit there and let you fart around with spells while Cal's neck is on the line!"

"My brothers and I would have protected him!"

"I'm not going to take that chance!"

Hatchet stomped towards her. He glared venomously into here eyes, hissing "You march back there and get Cal' back or so help me, Shock, I'll-"

"No!" Shock cried. "He's staying! I don't give a bat's ass about your ass-backwards brotherhood! If you give a damn about me or Cal' you'll shut the fuck up and drop this!"

"You insolent bitch! I should tear your head off! He may be _our_ son, but _I_ raised him! _I'm_ responsible for him! As a witch, you swore to leave parenting to me, remember? You were only his mother until birth, after that he's mine to teach and you know it!"

Shock became stiff. She held her breath as if releasing would unleash tears or merciless ass kicking. "I don't follow rules." She said slowly. "I've never followed rules, especially STUPID rules that endanger this family! Now shut up and get out of my face!"

"Now I know where Cal' gets it! You've jeopardized everything we've worked for! If you could think ahead like a warlock, you would know ripping him away from me is more dangerous to him than any Oogie threat!"

"Hey, she only did what she thought was best" Edgar made the mistake of interjecting.

"Stay out of this, Ed!" Shock and Hatchet sneered in unison.

"You can bitch at me until your face turns blue, I won't change my mind and I won't bring Cal' back here!"

"Then consider us on non-speaking terms." Hatchet pushed her aside and left, slamming the door shut behind him.

Shock pulled her hat over her face and screamed. She kicked the door as hard as she could. "FINE YOU BASTARD! FUCK YOU TOO! I'M THROUGH WITH YOUR SHIT, HATCHET! YOU HEAR ME? **BASTARD**!"

She collapsed against the door, sobbing. Edgar reached out, but she slapped his hand away. "Piss off!" She hissed. "Or I'll bust your skull open!"

Edgar backed away. "Hey, I was just trying to help..."

Shock's expression softened. Thicket put a sympathetic arm around her shoulder and lead her to the couch. "He just doesn't understand." She explained. "You know he's only upset because he's worried."

Shock nodded. "Yeah...But still, can you really sit there and tell me I'm only qualified to make decisions for my child if it's born with a vagina? Come on!"

"You know Hatchet. He's been brainwashed for so many years, he's skull is dense as lead. Be grateful he didn't convince the other warlocks to drag you down to the catacombs like they used to do with wives like us" She replied, expecting at least a smirk from Shock, but received none. Her tone sobered. "I'll talk to him, okay?"

Shock nodded. She slouched in her seat. Edgar dragged Lock out to the hallway. "Dude, what the fuck? I leave for the afternoon and you let my living room turn into an episode of Cops! Why did you sit there and let him yell at her?"

Lock shrugged. "Hey, he's her husband. Besides, I wasn't getting tangled in that mess until absolutely necessary."

"Okay, but why is she so pissed at me? She's acting like this is all my fault!"

"Na, she's just a mom. Nothing you say will comfort her because you're not a chick and you're not a mom, so you couldn't possibly understand what giving up your kid is like. That's why I'm saying nothing until those two are done being emotional."

Edgar ran his fingers through his hair. He sighed in frustration. "Did everything go okay at Santa's?"

"Yeah, but everyone's pretty bummed about what we did. Your parents aren't taking this well, neither is Shock. To tell you the truth, I went from cold turkey to chain smoker in one afternoon over this. Truth is, they're better off with Santa. With the casino gone, I'm out of a job." Lock shook his head in disgust. "What about you? How did the alert go?"

"Awful. Everyone thinks I'm making it up to cover up...I-I don't freaking know! This whole situation is-is it sucks! It royally sucks! I'm so pissed I can't even creep straight-"

"Relax" Lock ordered, patting Edgar on the back. "Slayer's in the stereo, I sent the sliths for takeout, and your beer is cold. Let's just chill out here until something disastrous happens, okay?"

Edgar frowned. "You had to say 'until', didn't you?"

Lock smirked, though his expression lacked its usual gusto. "We both know things are only going to get worse from here, dude."

Edgar nodded in agreement. "Hey, are you going to be okay? I mean, I know what Oogie used to do to you guys and-"

"I'll be okay." Lock insisted. "I'm not playing his game anymore..."

Gregor stared up at the gingerbread ceiling, reflecting on the day's events. He tried to fall asleep, but the bed was too soft and the room was too cozy. It's strange how little things like spider webs, lumpy pillows and drafty walls could be taken for granted. He never felt so out of place. At least during his trips to the real world everything was themed around Halloween. Here, he was just big clump of rotting matter- a talking doll- a-a cyborg... Why was Frost's utterance of that word so disturbing?

"I'm not cyborg. Cyborgs aren't people, their part people, but parts of me are people too. Maybe they are people, but that would make me a cyborg. Wait? Aw, screw it!" He growled in frustration and decided to think about something else. He sighed irritably as one of the Claus's fluffy white cats jumped on his chest and used his torso as a scratching post until it curled up and fell asleep. That's one reminder of home he could done without.

Gregor scratched the cat behind the ear. "I've never petted a white cat before. You're strange looking, hu Fluffy?" He said aloud, just to help erase the disastrous scenes from dinner from his mind. Between Halberd's belching, Caliber's refusal to say grace and Alia's inquiry about the Claus's sex life, Gregor used every ounce of restraint in him not to strangle them. He couldn't get mad at them though. Table manners are nonexistent on both sides of Halberd's family, Caliber is used to a strict spiritual environment and is touchy on those subjects, and Alia never gets embarrassed about sexuality because Lock talks about sex like its weather.

"At least Hal's pits didn't stink up the room." He laughed. He didn't enjoy showering any better than Halberd or Caliber, but at least he didn't moan in agony through the entire shower like Halberd did. "And they enjoyed the meal." He thought, rubbing his churning stomach. "I don't know if I can handle any more fresh food." The thought of Sally's home cooking brought a smile to Gregor's face. Roach and locust casseroles, stewed squash, fried owl, candy apples and jellied brains...That would hit the spot! But good luck finding a fresh pot of brains in Christmas Town.

The cat hissed as Gregor sat upright. A thought popped into his head. He had yet to sense danger, not one premonition. He began to worry about home and his family. The inscrutability of it all was driving him mad! "Why?" He asked aloud. "Something horrible is happening, I know it! No...I-I don't really _know_ it, but I can feel...no...Fuck!" He slammed his fist on his knees. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid...And at least whatever kept stalking me is gone... But what if it was the danger, or what if it knows about the danger? Dammit! Why is my head so freaking scrambled? It's like Edgar's psychically channeling his thoughts into me or something!"

A knock came at the door. "Who's there?" Gregor whispered.

"It's us!" Alia answered. "Open up!"

Gregor, still wrapped in a blanket to cover his bare chest, opened the door as gently as he could. The trio stood before him in old loose t-shirts for pajamas, dragging pillows and blankets from the other guestrooms. "What are you guys doing? If you're going to pull a prank, you better not wake the Claus's up because-"

"Chill out!" Alia interrupted. "We don't feel like making tricks right now."

"So what are you doing?"

"We wanted to know if we could sleep in here." Alia admitted, looking to her feet.

"But I thought you wanted your own rooms."

"We do" Alia agreed.

"But it's no fun sleeping by yourself." Halberd explained.

"We're not used to it." Caliber added.

"Are you going to let us in, or not?"

"Yeah, sure" Gregor stepped aside. "Just don't make a lot of noise."

The trio entered then set up their own little sleeping areas. Alia claimed the armchair and the cat as well. The boys threw some blankets on the ground to use as sleeping bags. Gregor tiptoed over them and crawled back into to bed. "It feels weird, hu, Trying to fall asleep in a toy factory?"

"Yeah..." The trio replied in unison.

"I miss my dad." Halberd admitted first. "And going with him and mom to the pumpkin patch."

"I miss my dad too."

Alia rolled over, shooting Caliber a funny look. "How can you miss the catacombs?"

"I don't miss the catacombs." He corrected her. "I miss my dad. He's been nearby me during sleeping hours my whole life. Now that he's not...I don't know..."

"I know what you mean." She agreed. "I would rather fall asleep to music blaring in the casino or our parents screwing in the other room than not having them around at all."

"I miss Uncle Lock's snake and spider stew." Halberd added, licking his lips.

"I miss listening to Auntie Shock call dad names and yelling at Uncle Barrel to get his dirty underwear off the floor." Alia laughed. She looked over at Gregor, who sat, holding his knees to his chest. "What about you, Greg? You miss your folks...? Greg?"

Gregor shook his head. "Wha-? Oh, yeah. I'm worried about them."

"So, you don't miss them?"

"No, I do, I'm just more worried than homesick, I guess."

Caliber leaned back, folding his arms behind his head. "I wonder what's going on in Halloween right now."

"It better be something major, because if we go home and nothing cool happened, I'm going to be pissed!" Alia replied, stroking the cat just a little too hard.

Halberd squirmed inside his covers. "Dude, I'll be pissed if we go home and missed a bunch of cool stuff!"

"We need to go home, that's all there is to it." Gregor stated indisputably. "Tomorrow, I'll try to convince Chuck to help us."

"What if he narks?" Halberd asked.

"He wouldn't nark." Alia assured him.

"How do you know?" Questioned Caliber.

"He's a friend of Uncle Ed's, remember? His friends never nark."

Halberd stretched and yawned. "Whatever. I'm about to crash. Can we pick this up in the afternoon?"

"You mean in the morning." Alia corrected him. "We can only stay up late and sleep 'til noon in the tree house."

"Aw, balls!" He spat, disappointed.

"Just go to sleep!" Gregor begged as he rolled over. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Greg..." The trio replied in unison. Feeling slightly less anxious after hearing the sound of familiar breaths, the kids still found it hard to fall asleep. Late past midnight, they finally drifted off, dreaming blissfully of candy corn, rat infested streets, headhunting games and egging unsuspecting houses. Gregor enjoyed seeing these soothing images flash before his eyes, but he would have rather dreamed of the looming presence in the graveyard, just long enough to ask it questions.

a/n: Sorry for the length. I tried to cut some things out, but there's a lot going on and it's all important to the story. The Jackalware isn't mine, it's a Dungeons and Dragons monster. The concept of Crypt Wailers isn't mine either, it's from a Magic the Gathering card. This whole thing is supposed to lead up to a huge battle between the citizens, so diversity is crucial. Oh, about the German guy remark. There's a lot of German ancestry in me, so I tend to crack on Germans, mostly to crack on myself, not anyone else.

PS: Dusk Kitsune belongs to Dusk-Kitsune88. Again, please review. Later guys.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Jaw Dropping

Later that night around eight-o-clock, Sally answered a knock at the door. Outside stood Edgar and the others with dreadfully worried looks on their faces. "Is dad okay?" Edgar asked urgently.

"He's feeling better." Sally answered. "But he's still very sick."

"Sick? What do you mean, sick?"

Sally stepped aside and motioned for them to enter.

In the living room, Trivett stood by Jack's side as he laid on the couch, holding an icepack over his aching head. He tried to sit up, but Trivett held him back.

"Just chill" Trivett ordered. "You took a nasty hit."

"I'm fine." Jack assured him in a weak, raspy voice. He forced himself up and hunched forward.

Sally stepped inside. "Jack!" She gasped then ran over to help him sit up straight. "You can't move too much; you'll get dizzy!" She scolded him.

"I'm sorry Mrs. S." Trivette apologized. "Jack's stubborn."

"Don't worry!" Jack snapped, just a little louder than before. "I think it's wearing off..."

"What's wearing off?" Edgar asked.

"Damn, Jack, what happened?" Lock added.

Thicket covered her mouth. "Do you remember?"

Shock grimaced. "Euh! Who did this to you?"

"I don't know." He answered Shock's question first. "I don't remember much. Last I recall, I was the dungeon. I had to check on the prisoners today- the regular routine."

Edgar blinked, stunned. "Did anyone escape?"

"One did." Trivette answered. "The Jackalware. Someone dug a tunnel into the prison chamber, busted the thing loose, and smuggled it out. We searched the tunnel, but we couldn't go real far. Whoever dug it smuggled the beast with 'em and collapsed the tunnel, so it'll be a while before we can figure out where it leads to."

Lock grimaced in fear. "Jeezy freaking-H creezy! The Jackalware attacked you?"

"No." Jack answered, shaking his head. "It was still chained up tight before I blacked out- I know it was."

"If the Jackalware _did_ get a hold of Jack, he wouldn't even be sitting here right now." Trivett added. "I've seen that ugly mudda fucka. He's badass gangsta-"

"God dammit, Trivett don't pull this shit now!" Edgar snapped.

"Edgar!" Sally scolded. "Don't curse! And give Trivett a break. He was the one who went looking for Jack and helped revive him down in the dungeon."

"Sorry." Edgar apologized to both of them. He ran his fingers through his hair anxiously. "Well, if it wasn't that Jackal thing, then what was it? Did you hear any strange noises? Smell anything odd?"

"I couldn't tell. Nothing struck me as odd. Well..." Jack trailed off, concentrating deeply. "I- no. Never mind."

"Dad, you have to think. It might-"

"But I know who did it." Jack interrupted, scowling. "It was Oogie."

Lock, Shock and Thicket exchanged terrified glances. "Are you sure?" Shock urged. "You didn't see him, did you?"

"No." He admitted. "But only Oogie would try something _this_ underhanded."

"Jack's been Boogied." Lock confirmed. "Beautiful. I wonder how long he'll wait before coming after one of us."

"There's something else." Sally interrupted, holding up a gunk-stained rag. "We found Jack's throat and ribcage dripping with this stuff."

Jack clutched his throat. "I can't stop vomiting. It's almost like...food poisoning."

"Fucking _**sick**_!" Lock cried. "Someone orally raped Jack!"

Shock and Thicket elbowed him in the stomach. "You're not helping, dumbass!" Shock hissed.

Sally handed Edgar the rag. "Take this to the doctor. Maybe he'll have an antidote."

"I'm on it." Edgar agreed. "But before I go-" Edgar tapped his thighbone twice, signaling for his sliths to enter.

Sally jumped as they passed her, surprised by their drastic growth spurt. They approached Edgar, standing in attention. "Kirk, Bill, you two stay by Dad's side and do whatever he asks you to do."

"Okay, Ed." They flashed Edgar the metal salute then perched themselves atop either arm of the couch.

"Skelter, Ripper" Edgar addressed them. "Go watch for any suspicious activity on the roof. And Kirk, if Dad starts to get worse, fly to grandpa's lab and warn me." He added.

"Yes Ed." The three sliths replied in unison.

"I'm off. Take it easy, okay dad?"

"Will do." Jack relied, with a slight nod.

"Okay." Edgar turned to leave, escorting Ripper and Skelter with him.

Lock pulled him back. "What should we do?"

Edgar paused to think. "Go back to the manor and try to keep out of sight in case Oogie is still sneaking around."

"But we want to help out here." Shock protested.

"Trivett and I have things covered." Sally assured her. "But thank you."

"We don't want to just leave you here alone."

"Hey, they got Kirk and Bill. Besides, somebody needs to guard Guillotine Square." Edgar reminded them.

"Fine." Lock caved in. "But we're going to warn Barrel and Hester about this first."

"Okay, get going then." Edgar ordered. "The less time we spend separated the better." With that, he left. His friends followed, stepping cautiously.

Lock buried his hands in his pockets. He appeared engrossed in his own thoughts. Thicket nudged him. "What's wrong?" She whispered, glancing over her shoulders. "Do you see something?"

"No." Lock answered, scanning the graveyard himself. "I'm just trying to figure out when we started taking orders from Ed..."

Five thirty that morning, Mr. and Mrs. Claus gave the lumplings their wakeup call.

"Up, sugarplums, up!" Mrs. Claus ordered, shaking Gregor and Alia. Santa stomped his foot on the ground, ripping everyone out of their sleep. He laughed playfully. "Rise and shine." He greeted them. "Get dressed; you all have work to do."

"_Work_?" The trio groaned.

"Uh, Santa-" Alia began.

"We're kids." Caliber added.

"We don't have to work." Halberd finished.

"If you live here, you do. No ifs, ands, or buts." Santa corrected them.

"You have to be freaking kidding me?" Caliber sneered.

Santa's smile faded. "Son, do you like animals?"

"Not really...And I'm not your son."

"Caliber's kind is sensitive about how they address family members." Gregor informed him.

Santa nodded. "Very sorry. I'll try to be more mindful of it next time."

"Don't worry about it." Caliber said with a dismissive shrug. "It's a reflex. So, what's the chore?"

"Feed my pets. Hansel and Gretel's bowls are in the kitchen and the deer are penned in the stable out back. The food is labeled and placed is plain sight; you can't miss it. Be careful of Ludwig. He projectile poops."

Caliber raised a brow. "What the hell is 'Ludwig'?"

"My penguin."

Caliber grimaced as he reached for his sunglasses and left to get dressed.

"Alia," Santa then addressed her. "Since you ran amuck in the bakery yesterday, you will help Hope with breakfast."

Hope eagerly grabbed Alia's hand and tugged her towards the door. "Come with me, dear, we'll have some girl time!"

Alia struggled to break free. She grabbed onto the doorframe for dear life and mouthed 'help me!' to Gregor before Mrs. Claus dragged her out of the room completely.

Halberd's eyes widened as Santa looked down at him. "Have you ever shoveled before?"

Halberd nodded yes. "In the pumpkin patch for my grandpa Tor."

"Good, you'll shovel my sidewalk. My back is killing me today."

Halberd smiled. "Okay, Santa!"

Santa pulled him back into the room by his shirt collar. "Do not use that shovel for anything other than scraping snow off my sidewalk, understand?"

Halberd nodded yes, his expression sober. "Yes Santa."

Santa released him and watched as he scattered off.

At last, he addressed Gregor. "I figured they would start less trouble if I kept their hands full." He said a bit more cheerfully than before. "Could you do something for me too, son?"

Gregor hesitated. "Yeah, sure, Mr. Claus."

"Bring in today's mail. The mailboxes are out front. Just haul the bags inside and dump them in the living room. I'll read them later tonight."

"I'm on it." Gregor announced as he hopped out of bed and raced to get dressed.

In the stables, Caliber struggled to conserve body heat and feed the deer at the same time. "Eukh! It reeks like dildos in here!" He spat inwardly, pulling his hood over his nose.

One of the reindeer nudged Caliber with his horns, as if demanding faster food service.

"Hey!" He cried, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm-m-m g-g-g-getting t-to you! Just g-g-give me a s-s-second!" He sneered, shivering.

The deer snorted and stomped their hoofs. Caliber screamed, dropped the bag of feed, and ran for the stable gates. He collapsed against the candy cane striped post. "M-man, t-t-this t-t-town s-sucks..." He muttered, locking the gate behind him before running back inside.

Alia yawned as she grabbed some pots and pans from the lower cabinets. Mrs. Claus glanced at her from the counter. "Still sleepy, dear?"

"_Yeah_." Alia sneered. "Hal' and I don't wake up until noon."

"You'll get used to the new schedule soon." Mrs. Claus assured her. "This won't seem so much like work. We'll pass the time chatting." She smiled so cheerfully she made Alia's stomach churn.

"How can you be so alert after just waking up?"

"Oh no dear, I've been awake for hours."

Alia cocked her head in confusion. "Then why isn't breakfast ready yet?"

"I have other things I have to do for myself first."

"Like...?"

"Like shower, wash my face, put on makeup, fix my hair, contour my eyebrows- you know, lady things."

"My mom does that stuff too. Sometimes she doesn't get it all done before my dad wakes up though."

Mrs. Claus paused to mix the clumps out of her batter. "The older you get, the longer you have to spend doing lady things. It takes me hours, but I'm much older than your mother."

Alia looked up at Mrs. Claus. She didn't that old- chubby, yes, but not old. Her face was smooth with a clean, healthy complexion (but that could have just been the makeup). Her hair, although sliver, was thick and shiny like a seventeen-year-old's hair. Her tiny red lips looked like a rose between her full cheeks. Her tiny elvish features gave her a graceful aura few witches and humans alike had. If she could maintain such an appearance for this long, she must know what she was doing.

"What's your secret?" Alia asked innocently.

"No secret. It just takes a lot of patience. That, and steel wool. I scrub my face with fresh steel wool."

"Ah!" Alia cringed. "That has to hurt."

"Yes, but it keeps my skin soft." Mrs. Claus set her mixing bowl down. "Fetch me the eggs, flour and milk, dear." She requested politely. "While I'm mixing the batter, you squeeze the oranges."

Alia groaned. "Fine..." She sighed as she hopped onto a stool to reach the juicer. "I told them! Hags!" She sneered, carelessly peeling an orange.

"What's that, Alia?"

Alia shook her head. She hadn't realized she was thinking aloud. "Oh, I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about the other witches."

"Oh." Mrs. Claus was still curious. "So what did you tell them?"

"That I **can** work in a kitchen without burning down the community..."

Gregor passed Halberd on his way to the mailboxes. Halberd slowly, but steadily shoveled the walkway. The snow had piled up almost twice his height since the last flurry.

Not paying attention, Halberd accidentally threw a mound of snow at Gregor's face. He coughed, wiping his face and shoulders. "Watch it, spaz!"

Halberd smirked. "Hey, screw you! You got the easy chore! That's totally dildos. Santa goes easy on you just 'cause your dad didn't kidnap him."

Gregor laughed. "Yeah, the world is full of injustice. Hold tight, okay? I'll help you out as soon as I bring in the mail."

He found the mailboxes across the street nearly completely covered by snow. After ten minutes of struggling to pull the heavy bags from the big steel boxes, Gregor finally yanked them free, but not without ripping one arm (and nearly the other) off first. His thread couldn't hold and once it snapped, Gregor stumbled backwards into a snow bank. After regaining his vision, he noticed a group of elflings ice-skating on the nearby pond. They had stopped to watch the young doll-like creature, hiding behind snow forts.

He gave them a warm smile after struggling to his feet. "Hi. My name is Gregor, or Greg, whichever you prefer. Um...Do any of you know how to sew? I'm having trouble keeping my arm in place long enough to start the seam."

The elflings stared up at him in blank wide-eyed terror. Gregor shuddered as a gust of icy wind blew up his spine. With no warning whatsoever, an elfling in white tossed a snowball at his face. "Get lost, monster!"

Halberd dropped his shovel and immediately ran to Gregor's defense. "Dude! What's your problem?" He barked at the elfling.

"You heard him, get lost!" Another elfling in green snapped. "When are you creeps going to get it? You're not welcome here!"

"Come on, Hal', let's just go." Gregor begged.

Halberd ignored him. "Look, if you don't have the balls to get over here and say that shit tour faces, then fuck off!" He shouted.

Indeed, the elflings did not have the balls to face the lumplings up close, but they had enough to pummel them with an arsenal of snowballs. Gregor and Halberd backed away, struggling to cover their faces.

A few blocks away, Chuck and his friend Paul were walking towards the workshop when they noticed the snowball fight in progress. Paul squinted towards the horizon. "Bro, is that Greg and Hal'?"

Chuck pushed him aside. "Oh fudging-A! I think it is! Quick, pack some snowballs; they're getting their asses handed to them!"

Someone nailed Halberd in the temple with a chunk of ice. He fell to his knees, holding the open gash on the side of his head. A large snowball struck Gregor right in the face. The cold had made his synthetic skin dry and brittle and once the snowball made contact, his lower jaw broke clean off. Gregor gasped as his tongue hung loosely. He groaned, frantically searching for his missing jaw in the snow.

The elflings fled, screaming. Halberd laughed. "PUSSIES!" He sneered after them, kicking up snow. "Greg, you okay?"

"Oo urh aye aw!" Gregor mumbled incoherently, pointing towards the snow.

Halberd scratched his head in confusion. "Dude, I can't understand you at all. We need to find your jaw." He snickered. "You look like that chick from The Grudge."

Gregor screamed towards the sky in frustration.

Just then, Chuck and Paul came running towards them, tossing snowballs. Chuck stopped, surprised to find the elflings had vanished. He held Paul back, forcing him to drop his ammo. "Hey, what happened? Where did those kids go?"

Halberd greeted them with an enthusiastic wave. "Hey, guys! It's okay; we chased those douche bags off. But they busted Gregor's face up."

Paul looked to Gregor. "What do you mean they- Odin, Wodan and Thor!" He looked away before the sight of Gregor's disfigured face and long, rotting tongue made him vomit.

Chuck cringed as well. "Jesus Christ almighty! Are you okay?"

Gregor's only capable response was a gargled "Uhhh-uhhh!"

"Hold on, we'll fix you up. Chuck fished his jaw out of the snow and escorted the kids back to the workshop.

Mrs. Claus let them inside. "Oh good, you boys brought in the wish ma- OH MY GOODNESS!" She shrieked once she caught sight of Gregor. "What happened to him?" She asked, covering her mouth in shock.

"Let me see! Let me see!" Alia and Caliber pushed past her to see what the commotion was. They groaned in disappointment.

"Aw, don't worry, Mrs. Claus." Alia said dismissively. "This kind of stuff happens to Greg a lot."

"Yeah, he's fixable." Caliber added.

"You just have to sew him back together." Halberd finished.

Mrs. Claus looked to Chuck. "Do I really have to...?"

Chuck nodded yes. "Bust out your needle and thread, mom."

"But-but-but, What if I hurt him? I mean, I can't sew up a little boy!"

Embarrassed beyond all consolation, Gregor struggled to hold back tears. He looked to his feet, praying for the strength not to start weeping. Chuck placed his hand on Gregor's shoulder. "Come on, mom, now isn't the time to be prissy. He's dead, he won't feel a thing, right Greg?"

Gregor nodded yes. He offered his needle and thread to Mrs. Claus. She looked into his glassy, lifeless eyes and took the needle. With a sickened look on her face, she scooped his tongue up and held his jaw in place as she attempted to sew it back on. She couldn't hardly stomach the feel of Gregor's cold, stiff appendages. The thought of stringing a needle through his putrid, rotting skin made her stomach churn. "I'm sorry." She said with a sigh. "But I just can't do this."

"Awwwww!" The trio groaned. They enjoyed watching Gregor being ripped apart and sewn back together.

Paul removed his silver hat and scratched his head. "Maybe Joal can sew him back together." He suggested. "Hunting season is over. It's not like he has anything better to do."

Chuck's face lit up. "Yeah, we'll take him to Joal's! Mom, let us barrow the snowmobile. I'll be back to help dad in the shop in an hour, I promise."

"You do whatever you need to get poor Gregor in one piece." She frowned. "I'm sorry. It's just...I've never stabbed anyone before."

Gregor gave her a forgiving nod. Alia tugged on her dress. "Hey, can we go with them- for um...moral support?"

"Sure."

The trio cheered. Chuck opened the door and motioned for the others to follow him. "Come on, let's go!" He ordered. "Don't push, don't shove and shut the hell up while I'm driving!"

"Shotgun!" Paul called before racing out the door with the trio in toe.

Gregor followed Chuck with much less enthusiasm...

Edgar hovered over the doctor's shoulder, watching his every move. "So, did you find anything out yet?"

"Would you stop leaning on the back of my chair?" Dr. Finklestein snapped, shoving Edgar back a step. "God dammit, I told you, it's going to take a while before the results show up..._But_, from what I can tell, this is some kind of venom."

Edgar inspected the specimen jar. "Someone _poisoned_ dad?"

"No, _something_" The doctor corrected him. "This venom was injected into Jack straight from the creature itself."

"What does that mean?"

"A **big** fucking bug bit him." Igor answered crudely.

"Thank you, Igor." Dr. Finklestein sneered dryly. "Actually, Jack's wound sounds more like a sting to me. I'm 99.9 percent certain what we have here is scorpion venom."

Edgar frowned. "Is there a way to neutralize the effects?"

"Certainly." The doctor handed him a vile. "Normally, I would inject the serum into the victim with a needle, but Jack has no skin, so he has to drink it. It'll work just a quickly, but it taste horrible."

Edgar sighed. "Thank God... Wait a second. How many scorpions would it take to produce that much venom?"

The doctor snickered. "According to my calculations; ninety-seven."

"So you're telling me a giant scorpion stung dad?"

"Rammed its tail right into his skull." The doctor confirmed.

Edgar slapped his forehead. "Aw, fucking-A, now the scorpion empire is against me? I don't get it! Arachnoids have been a neutral race for centuries!"

"Maybe it was rouge scorpion." Igor suggested. "Left the colony to cause trouble."

Edgar shook his head. "No, arachnoids are very obedient monsters. They never do anything until their leader gives the order-" A loud crash cut him off.

They looked around, startled. The doctor spotted the cause first. "Igor, would you be more careful!" He snapped, pointing the pile of shattered glass and mangled steel that moments ago was some invention in progress.

Igor looked at the mess and then to the Doctor, puzzled. "It wasn't me, master! I was over here!"

Dr. Finklestein rubbed his temples. "Fine, whatever you say!" He grumbled. "God dammit, that's just what I needed tonight- something _else_ to repair!"

Edgar inspected the wreck. "You mean this isn't the first thing to break unexpectedly?"

"Are you joking? Every time I turn around something falls apart! My x-ray machine, the electric fence generator, even the piping in the sink is busted!"

"None of it my fault!" Igor insisted after receiving an accusing stare.

"Well things just can't demolish themsel- OMPH!" The doctor cried out as his wheelchair inexplicably jerked forward.

He caught himself on the table before crashing into the display of chemicals and test-tubes. "God dammit, moron, knock it off!"

"I didn't do it!" Edgar swore, holding his hands up innocently.

The doctor scratched his brain. "That's it! Something screwy is going on around here! My work does not malfunction unless someone tampers with it!" The doctor slammed his fist on the table, aggravated.

"This has been going on all day? Why didn't anyone warn me?"

"It only started out with a few glitches here and there- nothing I couldn't explain logically. I didn't see how a few clumsy mistakes should concern you."

"Go to **hell**!" Igor hissed. "I'm not causing this! Something else is!" Feeling insulted, he took off his lab coat and draped it on the edge of the worktable. "You need me, I take cigarette break _outside_."

"You pansy!" The doctor snapped. "Fine, get out! Jewel and I will handle things!"

"He seems pretty spooked." Edgar leaned against the table, running his fingers through his hair. "I don't blame him. I mean, how many times have we spilled corrosive acid or electrocuted ourselves or completely blew something up?"

"On a daily basis. What's your point?"

"Usually, if something fucks up around here, someone can account for it. If you know for certain it wasn't you or grandma, and if you can't _prove_ Igor did it, then who did?"

The doctor shrugged. "We're probably just playing tricks on ourselves."

"Maybe, but after everything that's been going on, aren't you-" Edgar jumped as he felt something brush against his hand. He turned around and watched in terror as the test tubes, vials, and jars rearranged themselves.

The doctor backed away, feeling spooked himself. The test tubes began to form words. They read 'So much to play with here.'

Edgar scowled, infuriated. "Who is this?" He shouted.

The test tubes switched their order to spell out 'Who do you think?'

Edgar snorted. "Of course. Okay...why are you doing this?"

'To annoy you'

Dr. Finklestein frowned. "Well, you're annoying me too. Get the hell out of my lab and stay out!"

'Not a chance, old man'

"Do you think I'm afraid of you?" The doctor shouted. "You're not the first snot-nosed punk to try to toy with my equipment! Don't think for a second being invisible will help you get away with this!"

'I'll be able to get away with anything I want soon.' The test tubes switched around rapidly. 'I have allies.'

'People know my name'

'They are doing my bidding'

"You sent a scorpion to attack my dad didn't you?" Edgar shouted, pointing.

'No, my allies did'

"Show yourself!" Edgar ordered. "I'm **not** fucking kidding! Show yourself and tell me who you are right now, or I'll rip you out of thin air and shove those jars up your ass sideways!"

'Suck my balls'

Edgar jumped and snatched at the air. He grasped something- something cold. It moaned venomously, taking the shape of a screaming man, but broke apart and dissolved before Edgar could see his full physical form. Edgar and the doctor exchanged worried glances. Strange grinding and creaking noises erupted throughout the lab as machinery began to activate and objects began to fly off the shelves and counters.

Edgar ducked, dodging the hammer flying straight for his head. This chaos lasted for a minute only, then the lights flickered on and off. Sparks flew from the outlets and generators and then everything went dark.

"Shit!" Dr. Finkelstein snapped, breaking the awkward silence.

"Did you blow a fuse?" Jewel shouted from the other room.

"YES! I'm taking care of it."

With only the faint glow of the buttons on the giant electric generator to guide him, the doctor struggled to pull the right levers until the light returned. Edgar kicked the wall in frustration. "That son of a bitch! I knew it! I knew it was all connected!"

"What a mess...At least now I can tell the Hanging Tree to shove it." The doctor scratched his head as he glanced towards the floor. "Edgar, take a look at this."

Edgar inspected the debris on the floor. The poltergeist had spelled out one last message before shorting out the lights. It read

'This is just a taste of what I can really do. Do dot try to hide. DO NOT try to stop me. All things are deadly in my grasp and no one is safe when in my sight. We are coming after you soon. We will come after Jack sooner unless he comes to us.

Signed

Gore

PS: I hope there is homeowners insurance in Halloween Town.'

Edgar looked the doctor, puzzled. "What the fuck is up with this asshole, grandpa?"

"He's challenging you." Dr. Finklestein stated. "And threatening you."

"What should I do?"

"Don't lose track of him. He left the lab, but it looks like he's heading into town to do more damage. You get out of here and give Jack that antidote. In the meantime, I'll take a photo of this before Igor cleans it up."

Edgar nodded. He paused for a moment, then asked, "Are you guys going to be okay? I mean-"

"What, you think some pain in the ass gust of wind is going to keep me from my work?" The doctor snorted, amused. "I've faced much scarier things throughout my existence. There is _nothing_ he can throw at me that I can't handle."

Edgar laughed. "I believe you. Thanks grandpa."

Angrier than ever, Edgar stomped out of the lab and hurried back to the graveyard. On the way, his skull swelled up with questions. Where would the poltergeist strike next? Who were his allies? How many were on his side? How would he be able to tell his enemies from his allies? How many people had to suffer before this was all over? How would this be resolved? Could it be resolved?

Edgar had one answer at least, the answer to the first question he had been asking since the poltergeist's arrival- his name. Finally, Edgar knew the name of his rival. "I'm going to stop you, Gore." Edgar vowed. "No one screws with my holiday and gets away with it!"

"Edgar should be back any moment now." Sally assured Jack, massaging his shoulders.

Jack nodded weakly. "I know what he's trying to do. Oogie wants to scare me into going after him. Well, I'm not making that mistake twice. If he wants to settle this like real ghouls, he has to come after me."

Jack leaned forward and coughed violently. Sally held him upright incase he blacked out and fell over. She could hear his bones rattle as he shivered. Kirk mopped up the venom Jack spewed onto the floor while Bill held a hot towel against his skull.

Trivett watched from the corner of the room. The entire dungeon incident gave him chills. Seeing a legendary terror like Jack doubled over in agony made a ghoul like Trivett feel completely defenseless. As soon as Jack's coughing fit subsided, he decided to approach him.

"Mrs. S..." He addressed Sally timidly. "I hate to do this, but its getting late. I have to go home. Before I go, should I-"

"It's alright, Trivett. I have this under control."

"Get some rest." Jack insisted. "I'm going to need a lot of help tomorrow to make up for today. Tell the others to show up bright and early."

"Yes, sir." Trivett replied. "Take care, Jack." He leaned forward and gave him a quick hug. Actually, it was more like a pat on the back than a hug. Trivett wanted to show some display of concern that wouldn't make Jack uncomfortable. Jack was like a father to him after all, whether or not Jack fully or even partially accepted him as his son.

"Thank you for staying" Sally said before he reached the door.

"And for helping us get the prisoners back under control." Jack added. "It was very noble of you, but don't put yourself at such a great risk again. One wrong move and you could have been torn apart."

Trivett smirked. "Yo, don't play me. You know I can take anything on."

"I mean it" Jack insisted sternly.

"A'right, a'right, Jack, I will." Trivett closed the door gently behind him. Once outside, under the moonlight, he pulled his du-rag from his back pocket and placed it on his head. He looked towards the cemetery entrance intensely. "Sorry, but if shit's goin' to go down, I'm taking some other bastards with me." He vowed. He adjusted his du-rag, proud to wear the red and black pin-stripped material on his head. Somewhere in Halloween, Edgar needed back up and Trivett was more than willing to give it.

a/n: Can anyone sense the pure wave of bo-tardation radiating from that last paragraph? That's sad. I can't even take my own fic seriously. XD! Thanks for reading, guys.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Turn for the Worst

Even when riding on the back seat a snowmobile (nothing like the one in the movie), the trek up the mountain was the most unbearable experience of the lumplings' afterlives. Gregor and the trio huddled together for warmth (although Halberd and Gregor were pushed out of the circle because of their inability to retain heat) while Chuck and Paul laughed, chatted and sang along to music as if they were in a nice car on a summer day.

Finally, the slope tapered off to a roughly flat surface. Chuck pulled over and parked in front of a cabin protruding from the mountainside. Halberd grinned as he inspected the dead deer and elk hanging from trees in the side yard. "Creepy." He said, intending to be complimentary.

"My brother is kind of strange." Paul warned.

"That's cool with us." Caliber assured him.

Alia smirked up at him. "Does he look like you, Paul?"

"Um...Kind of- OW!"

Chuck punched him in the arm for being naive. "Just don't ask any stupid questions." He warned the kids.

Gregor groaned as if to say 'Just open the freaking door!'

Chuck knocked three times then stepped back. Seconds later the door opened, revealing an older, but tall and handsome blizzard elf. He looked a little like Paul, but his face was thinner, his bottom lip thicker and he had curly blue hair with a silver highlight in the front. He was thin, but in good shape. His clothes resembled that of a stereotypical elvish archer; a blue shirt with a thick belt around his waste and lipped leather boots. His eyes twinkled and his pointed ears perked up when he spotted Chuck and Paul. "Hey guys, what's up?" He greeted the human with a handshake. "What are you doing here? We're not scheduled for another hunt for two months."

Chuck grimaced. "Look, bro, I kind of need you to do me a favor."

Joal looked to Paul. "What did he do?"

"Nothing. It's our friend's brother. Just...check this out, okay?" Chuck looked to his side.

Joal followed his eyes. He noticed the lumplings for the first time. His ears dropped as he glanced over the trio (who gave him the creeps, especially Halberd for some reason). When he spotted Gregor and his mangled, tongue exposing face, he became chalk-white. "What the fuck?" He cried in a slightly too feminine voice, cowering under the doorway.

"Chill out, bro..." Chuck begged softly. "The kid's from Halloween Town. Getting his face ripped apart is like getting a paper cut to him. Shit! That came out wrong. What I mean is, Gregor needs someone to sew him back together, and you dabble in taxidermy, so I thought you could help us out."

Joal forced himself to give Gregor one more look. He shuddered. "I'm sorry, but no fudging way! I-I can't do it. He looks like a...a doll!"

"So?" Alia sneered.

"I hate dolls. They scare the crap out of me."

The trio exchanged confused glances. Even Gregor felt confused, and yet strangely flattered at the same time. "You're afraid of _dolls_?" Alia asked in disbelief. "Then how can you taxiderm stuff?"

"Oh, I get rid of all the animals. Once I stuff them, they remind me too much of dolls, so I take them away from my house."

"What is it with your family and irrational fears?" Chuck asked.

Gregor scowled at him. "Just because someone's actually afraid of me, it's irrational?" He grumbled inwardly.

"Just pretend he's a wolf or something." Chuck suggested. "Come on! How would you like to have parts of you missing?"

Joal took a deep breath. "Alright, I'll do it. Come in..."

The trio raced inside first and headed straight for the fireplace. Joal glared at them. "I don't normally let children in here. So don't touch anything."

The trio responded with a half-hearted 'Uh hu' as they hovered over the fireplace.

"I'll watch them." Paul offered. He leaned back on the couch and pulled a joint from his jacket pocket.

He rolled his eyes as his baby brother lit the joint and took a long drag. "Way to watch them Paul." Joal sneered.

"What? I learned it from watching you!" He cried overdramatically with a mischievous gin.

"No, you learned it from watching Neer."

"Sure, blame everything on us younger ones." Paul snorted, coughing as he exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Go take care of Gregor, would you."

Joal cringed, whispering "But he's so creepy!"

"Don't be such a faggot." Paul teased.

Joal smirked at him. "Guyintheclosetsayswhat?"

"What?"

"Ha!"

"Joal, move your ass!" Chuck snapped, dragging his boss in the other room.

Gregor was lead to a large room outback that vaguely resembled Dr. Finklestein's lab, but there were bow and arrow sets hanging on the wall and freshly skinned pelts draped everywhere. Chuck led him over a gore-stained table. A deer had been gutted recently. The smell lingered.

Joal boiled some water. Chuck handed his elfin boss Gregor's lower Jaw. "Don't bother sterilizing the needle, bro. It won't make a difference."

Joal cringed as he clutched the cold lump of flesh and bone and teeth. "Okay, Greg..." He began, taking a huge breath. "Hold still and for the love of Corellonlarethian, don't look at me..."

A half hour later, Gregor and the others walked back into the living room. "He's fixed." Chuck announced pleasantly, placing his hand on Gregor's shoulder.

The trio ran over to inspect Joal's craftsmanship. "Steady hand." Alia commended him, tugging Gregor's arm.

"That should hold him together nicely." Caliber nodded in approval. "And it better. I'm never making another trip up here again!"

"We won't have to." Halberd assured him. "We would need a saw to lob it off now."

Gregor jerked his arm free. "You guys get _way_ to much enjoyment out of ripping me apart!"

"Ah!" Joal jumped as Gregor's polyester skin brushed against his arm. "I'm sorry, kid, I'm not trying to geek out on you. I've just seen Puppet Master too many times, that's all."

Gregor smiled at him. "That's okay. I kind of like being scary for once."

"Yeah, 'cause he usually gets cooed at and his cheeks pinched on Halloween, hu doll face?"

The other kids laughed. Gregor mentally blushed. "Fuck you Hal'!" Gregor hissed under his breath, flipping him the bird. He looked to Joal, trying his best not to look doll-like "Thank you for stitching me back together again. You have no idea just how big of a pain in the ass having removable limbs can be."

"I can imagine..." Joal felt as if he was about to vomit, but he did he best not to show it. He backed away slowly, inching towards the kitchen. "I'll be right back. I just need a beer...Badly..."

Lock as the others gasped as they looked past the cemetery gate and into the horizon. From there they could see a small lake of fire in the pumpkin patch. Ghost sprung from the flaming jack-o-lanters forming an eerie swarm in the sky. They moaned with remorse, choking on the smoke.

Lock took off running. Shock and Thicket chased after him. Shock caught him by the tail and forced him to a halt. "What are you doing?" She screeched.

"We have to find Barrel!" He explained urgently. "What if he's surrounded by the flames?"

"I see him!" Thicket shouted, pointing from atop a knoll.

Lock and Shock looked down and spotted Barrel and the Behemoth shoveling dirt on the flames. Hester and Angela were shoveling on the other side of the pit. "BARREL!" Lock and Shock shouted in unison.

Barrel looked up. "GUYS! QUICK, GIVE US A HAND!"

The others grabbed a shovel and did their best to suffocate the flames. Even with their combined efforts, they had little luck. Halloween's dry, withered plant life fed the flames continuously. Eventually, they contained the fire and put it out. Barrel sighed with relief as he patted some dirt over a smoldering heap of ashes. Everyone stared at the empty field. Just an hour ago, it was filled with plump orange pumpkins. Now it was gooey mess of ash and dirt. Enraged, the Behemoth chucked his shovel. It landed in the ashes with a heavy _**clang**_.

"Now, stop that!" Angela scolded him, fanning herself with her straw hat. "At least we kept it from spreading any father."

The Behemoth grunted. "We'll start compost heap." He suggested bitterly. "All its good for now."

Shock removed her hat and whipped away a bead of sweat, leaving a streak of grime on her face. "That was...intense." She stated for a lack of a better comment. "How did this happen?"

"We think someone snuck into the field and set it ablaze." Hester answered. "Barrel says he saw some folks sneaking around in the distance."

Lock looked Barrel. "Did you?"

Barrel shrugged. "I thought I saw some punks lugging a big jug around, but I couldn't tell. I was all the way across the patch near the tool shed. Assholes. Who do they think they're trying to prank?"

Scowling, Thicket kicked the mud off her high heels. "This was more than a prank."

Barrel scratched his head. "How do you know?"

"Because Jack just got whacked in the cemetery prison." Lock answered.

"ATTENTION!" A voice squawked overhead. Against the night sky, Lock and the others could see a black winged figure swooping down. It was the gatekeeper. He outstretched his wings for a soft landing. His chest heaved under his old grey shirt. He paused to catch his breath as everyone surrounded him.

"What's wrong?" Shock addressed the gatekeeper first.

Somehow, his beak formed a smug grin. "Oh, nice to have your attention for once, Mayor."

Shock glared at him. "Cut the bullshit!" She snapped. "You didn't flap your sorry avian ass all the over here for nothing. What's the emergency?"

"You remember that big fire engulfing the pumpkin patch just then?" He asked.

Shock's eye twitched. "Yeah, it was hard to miss. What about it, wiseass?"

"There's been reports of a series of arsons around town. Several monuments and businesses have nearly gone up in smoke. So far, they've all been containable, but there's just so many of them."

Shock turned pale. "Return to your post. I'll handle this." She promised before turning to the others.

"This is bad, isn't it?" Barrel asked with a sober expression.

"Oh yeah..." Shock nodded, expression grave. "Hester, I want you to stay here with your parents and keep an eye on the patch."

She nodded in agreement, clutching her shovel. "Yes ma'am."

Shock pulled a knife from her garter belt and handed it to Thicket. "We're dropping you off at the manor. Guard it. Don't let **anyone** near it."

She nodded as well, slipping the blade in her own garter belt. "Okay, Shock."

Shock threw her arms over her brother's shoulders. "You two knuckleheads are coming with me to find Ed so we can get to the fucking bottom of this."

Lock and Barrel slapped her on the back. "We're on it."

Edgar couldn't help but notice the streets were awfully quiet this early in the evening. Then again, Guillotine Square wasn't famous for nightlife, unless it was Halloween night during the finale or a party was being thrown at the manor. "Everyone must be at Hyde's or Strolling Bones." He guessed, clasping his hands behind his back.

He walked slowly, looking to his feet. He felt the wind blow through his hair and listened as some sewer rats scurry into an alleyway. Then a scent drifted in the air. Edgar sniffed. His eye sockets widened. "Smoke...?"

"Please be a barbecue! Please be a barbecue! Please be a-" He turned the corner and spotted Skellington Manor over a large stone wall. Several figures raced from the back ledge, towards the front of the mansion and down the steps, leaving the trees that grew in back to burst into flames.

"HOLY SHIT!" Edgar cried as the flames reached for the night sky, creating clouds of smoke. He ran for his front gate. It had been pried open. Seven ghouls (four zombies, two skeletons and a Nehwon ghoul) charged through the gates like bats out of Hell. They wore tattered blue rags over their faces, hiding all distinguishing features.

Edgar yanked a zombie aside as he raced by. "Get back here!" He ordered, forcing the young ghoul against the front gate. Edgar twisted his arm too far. The zombie's hand broke off, allowing him an opportunity to escape.

The ghoul laughed obnoxiously as he left Edgar in the dust. "DEATH TO THE PUMPKIN CROWN!" He shouted before hopping a fence and disappearing completely.

"Aw, FUCK!" Edgar cursed violently, as he threw the disremembered hand to the ground. He couldn't vent long or else his house would topple over in a smoldering mess. He was about to seek help when he spotted Shock and the others running towards him from down the street.

"Ed!" Shock grabbed onto his shoulder, panting heavily.

"Dude, look!" Lock pointed above.

"You're house is on fire!" Barrel finished.

"No shit, I can see that!"

"No, you don't understand-" Thicket began. "Someone set the pumpkin patch on fire too. It's happening all over town."

"Damn it all!" Edgar balled his fist. "Come with me!" He ordered, leading his friends through the gate. "I'll hook up some hoses out back and adjust the pressure down in the basement. We should be able to save the manor-"

Edgar stopped halfway up the steps, causing a three-friend pileup behind him. "Dude, get your head out of your ass!" Lock snapped, shoving some space between him, Shock and Barrel.

Edgar ignored him, too distraught to hear clearly. "Oh no..." He pointed to the ground below.

The trio looked downward. Laying beside the right side of the manor steps was Trivett. The young skeleton was unconscious- his body nothing more than a shattered heap of bones and baggy clothing. Edgar handed Shock the antidote. "Get this to dad as soon as possible. The rest of you, hook up the hoses and do what you can."

He pushed the others aside and leapt off the steps and onto the ground. Frantically, he tried to pop Trivett's joints back into place. He managed to reconstruct the bulk of his torso when he discovered Trivett's du-rag in the pile. Beneath it were fragments of his skull.

"Oh God..." Edgar whispered. "Come on, you freaking idiot, say something! Anything!"

No reply. Trivett wasn't waking up any time soon.

The ground began to shake. There was a deafening rumble of a landslide. Edgar struggled to see through the debris. Eventually, the dust settled and the flames died, revealing a massive pile of dirt and boulders that had collapsed behind Skellington Manor.

Lock, Thicket and Barrel stood with their back's against the Manor. Only five inches separated them from the mansion and a deadly fall over the ledge.

"Uh...Ed!" Barrel announced once his heart stopped pounding with alarm. "The fire's out-"

"But you no longer have a backyard!" Lock added.

"Is the manor damaged?" He shouted.

"No!" Thicket answered. "We don't think so!"

Edgar sighed with relief. "Good! Barrel, lend me a hand! We need to get Trivett to my grandpa's lab, quick!"

Across town, in the heart of the casino, a meeting was in progress. Gore dangled a partially decomposed raven carcass over the Jackalwere's nose. The beast reached out for it, struggling to break the chains linking him to the wall. He snarled. Spit oozed from the holes on the muzzle. "What? We're going to sick this brute on Edgar or something?" The poltergeist sneered. "Is that the best you can come up with?"

"Get away from him!" Oogie ordered. "We'll need him later on. Leave the big picture thinking to me." He grinned, shaking a pair of dice in his hand.

Gore jumped back as Oogie tossed the dice at the Jackalwere. They bounced off his snout, sending him in a clawing, kicking rage. Gore hovered towards the giant roulette wheel where Noogie and Dixie stood patiently, awaiting further instructions.

Oogie looked down at his small gang of minions from the Eight Ball mixer, grinning triumphantly. "It's looking good for our side." He announced. "My plan is working perfectly."

"How do you figure?" Gore sneered. "All we've done is corrupt a couple of stupid kids, messed up some property and sent Edgar running in circles! You said we would overthrow the pumpkin king! So far, I've done nothing but haunt this place like some second-rate spirit!"

"Don't be a fool!" Oogie boomed. "Halloween is in a total state of panic and everyone thinks that little puke Edgar is the root of it! Its just a matter of time before Halloween turns to rubble and its ours to plunder!"

Gore smiled. He wanted to believe Oogie, but his prediction sounded too good to be true. "I'm sick of playing head games! I feel like I'm back in freaking High School or something. When do I get to take Edgar out of the picture permanently?"

Oogie grinned. He hopped off the mixer, shaking the floor as he landed. "Relax, you'll have your chance. Just keep spreading the message around; either join us, or suffer later."

Gore grimaced as Noogie patted him on the shoulder. "About the message. Aren't we supposed to be fighting _against_ oppression and-"

"We are." Oogie interrupted. "But corruption has infested this town for so long, it's the only thing those idiots up there will understand. Just focus on how to turn everyone against the Skellingtons for now. Head games are essential for a scheme like this. You have to drive the enemy to wits end and kick his sorry ass to the curb before you muscle your way to the top, got it?"

Gore nodded yes, though he still had his doubts.

Oogie slapped on the back. "Good. Now don't say another Goddamn word until I tell you what to do next." He looked to Noogie. "Where's Empress's soldiers?"

"They're scouting the catacombs right now." Noogie answered. "Poisoning Jack was a waste of time. The toxins won't incapacitate him for long-."

"Shut your face too!" Oogie ordered, poking Noogie in the chest. "It's taken us our whole afterlives to get our hands on that boney son of a bitch, and you are NOT going to fuck it up for me!"

Noogie kept quiet. He knew better than to argue. Footsteps echoed throughout the chambers. Two scorpions and two widows carrying crudely crafted pickaxes and shovels approached Oogie. "The warlock dwellings have been tampered with according to your instructions, king of bugs." The taller widow informed him.

"We have taken our positions below and above ground." The darker scorpion added, facing Noogie. "What next?"

"Tell your queens to await my orders." Oogie answered. "Now, scram!"

Oogie shooed them away, giving them playful slaps on the butt. Dixie caught Noogie smiling as he watched. She hovered towards him, wearing a sad, hurt expression. "Noogie, babe..." She whispered softly, stroking the loose flap of fabric on the top of his head. "How did you convince an entire colony of scorpion women to fight for our cause?"

Noogie glared at her. "Not now, babe" He hissed under his breath. "I'll explain later."

Dixie looked crushed. "You bastard! How could you do this to me? I'm your-"

Noogie raised his hand at her. She closed her eyes tightly, cowering. She expected Noogie to take on his shadow form and knock her ghostly ass across the room, but he hesitated. Noogie had spotted Gore watching him from the other side of the roulette wheel.

He lowered his hand. He knew he would have to wait until he was alone before beating some sense into her, lest he create an ugly scene and spoil the entire operation. "Don't cry babe." He cooed, gently placing his fingerless hand under Dixie's chin. "Empress doesn't mean anything to me. I just need to use her for a while. Tell you what? Once Gore is in charge, I'll have her exoskeleton hollowed out and made into sexy armor for you, you know, for roll playing, alright?"

Dixie nodded. She still felt heartbroken, but too frightened to argue. Gore made sure Noogie hugged her before he dismissed any suspicious thought from his mind. He could have sworn Noogie was about to strike her. He was waiting for the slightest slap to cave the entire casino on the boogieman, but luckily it didn't have to come to that.

Gore walked away. Somehow, working with the Boogie brothers didn't seem like such a wise, noble decision anymore. With so much lying going on, it was hard to keep track of who was honest and who was not. He decided to keep closer eye on the boogiemen from now on. After all, a ghoul has to look out for his own interest...and his sister.

"Oh, the hell with all of you!" Paul crossed his arms, pouting as he slouched down the back of the couch.

The others laughed, even Joal, who after three bottles of Heineken, was able to look at Gregor without feeling the need to piss himself and run screaming. "I'm sorry...!" Gregor held his side, barely able to speak after laughing so hard. "I just can't get over that suit, dude! You look like the Silver Surfer after a bad dinner date."

Sadly enough, Paul's suit fit that description. His hat, jacket, and leggings were a pale slate lined with light blue material and his undershirt was silver, embroidered with a swirling wind design. His jingle bell buttons and cufflinks were silver "It's a uniform, okay? I have to wear it at work." Paul ripped his pointed elf's hat off his head.

Caliber slapped his forehead. "No wonder the universe is so screwed up! Paul finally got a job!"

Chuck choked on his beer, he was laughing so hard. Paul punched him in the arm. "I'm sorry, bro, but he has a point. It took almost ten years to get you out of attic!"

"Hey! I've always paid my bills. I'm not a _complete_ loser."

"True, but your not exactly a _fork_ either" Joal held up four fingers against his forehead (an inside joke between Chuck's circle of friends). "Dealing indoor buds to wood elves during the harvest festival does not count as gainful employment, no matter how well it pays."

"What is he supposed to be anyways?" Halberd asked. "A bellhop?"

Paul looked to his lap and blushed, which meant Halberd was right! Everyone laughed. Chuck decided to go easy on his friend. "Okay, guys, enough. Let's pick on someone else besides Paul."

"Thank you."

The lumplings groaned in disappointment. "That's alright." Gregor assured Chuck. "We have something serious to discuss with you."

Chuck raised a brow at him. "Okay, shoot."

"Well..." Gregor trailed off, unsure of how to approach the subject.

Alia grew impatient. "Gorf the musical moron wants you to hijack the sleigh and fly us to the real world so we can sneak back to Halloween through one of their cemeteries!" She blurted out.

Chuck shook his head in disbelief. "What?"

Paul's eyes lit up. "Oh! That would be cool!"

"Bro, we can't smuggle them to Halloween!" Chuck cried. "No fudging way, man. Jack would rip my nuts clean off if I even _pretended_ to go along with this idea."

"Told you he wouldn't do it, dildo." Caliber whispered.

"Shut up!" Gregor snapped. He approached Chuck, making sure to look wide-eyed and innocent. "Look, we have to go home. We think something really bad is happening and we don't want to just stand around with our thumbs up our asses doing nothing about it. Edgar's your friend and he's in a shit load of trouble right now. You have to help us; you're the only one who can."

Chuck sighed, brushing his fingers through his shaggy amber hair. "I'll... run the idea by my dad. If he thinks something is seriously wrong, maybe I can convince him to let me bring you guys home, but I'm not making any promises, deal?"

"Deal" The lumplings replied in disappointment. Gregor shook his hand.

Paul flashed the metal salute in excitement. "Yes! A sleigh trip! This is totally going to smoke!"

Chuck smirked. "Who says you're coming?"

Paul frowned; his pointy blue ears drooped. "Aw, come on...I want to see the real world and visit Halloween too! After Saturday, I don't have show up for work until Christmas is over! Please...?"

"You'd be dead weight." Chuck protested. "All you would do is whine about the heat and get motion sickness."

"Would not! Tell him I can go too!" He ordered the kids to speak in his defense.

"Let him go, Santa." Alia begged, nudging Chuck's arm.

Chuck's eye twitched. "Okay, you can come too."

Paul smiled. "Yay!"

"But I choose what CDs we listen to."

"You suck..."

"What about you, Joal? Feel like taking a sleigh trip?"

Joal shrugged then chugged the rest of his beer. "No, that's alright. I'll stay here with my own kind. I traveled to the real world for Woodstock, 69 when I was twenty. I wound up passing out from heat stroke, a human woman stole a lock of my hair, and dad took the blue acid. It wasn't a fun trip." He paused, rubbing his chin in thought. Then again, that one glass vender did take me to the back of his van and we...you know what? Scratch that thought. Go on without me."

Halberd cocked his head in confusion. Alia patted him on the shoulder and whispered. "Don't think about it too hard, Hal'."

Chuck stood and set his empty beer bottle on the coffee table. "We'll smooth out the details after we eat breakfast. Come on, let's get back to the workshop."

Paul herded the kids outside. At first they protested, running around him in circles and tugging at the jungle bells on his jacket. The trio loved listening to adults ramble on when they're drunk. They didn't want the merriment to end. Paul chased them out the door with his ice breath (a thin gust of frosty wind at best after so many years of smoking pot). Chuck gave Joal a half handshake half high-five. "Later bro, thanks for the needlework."

Joal laughed. "Never do this to me again, or you're fired. Hand in your bow and your permit and never come back." He teased.

Chuck smiled. "Got it."

Everyone exchanged pleasant so longs before Chuck drove Paul and the lumplings back into town. During the ride down the mountain, he struggled to think of some way to convince his parents to let him leave. He had to think of something- anything! If he knew Edgar as well as he thought, the poor boney bastard needed all the help Chuck could give.

Trivett's eye sockets burst opened. His vision was blurry and his head was pounding. Every bone in his body ached. He sat upright, groaning. "Yo...Wha- where am I...?"

He felt bandages wrapped tightly around his skull. The details of the room began to appear. He was on an old ratty hospital bed in a dingy room with one big circular window barred shut. Suddenly it hit him. He was in an infirmary of some kind. "HELP!" He cried, voice cracking. "Anyone! Help! Let me out of here!"

"Oh, you're awake." From the dark corners of the room, a tall stitched up blonde woman in a yellow dress walked up to him. She had the strangest looking face, as if it belonged on someone else's body. "I'm Jewel, your nurse so to speak. Lay back down, sweetheart. The doctor isn't through with you."

Trivett's worst fears were confirmed. He grabbed her by her shoulders, trembling. "Lady, you have to get me out of here!" He begged. "I **hate** hospitals! I can't stay here! For the love of Christ, let me go!"

"No sudden movements!" Jewel pushed him back against the headboard.

"DID YOU HEAR ME, BITCH? GET ME THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" Trivett grew hysterical, driven to tears.

Jewel struggled to pin him to the bed, enduring punches, kicking, scratching, biting, and every nasty insult Trivett could throw at her. Eventually, she grew tired of arguing with him. "Here, my boy, have some anesthesia!"

She forced a tube against his mouth and held it over his face until Trivett stopped twitching. Dr. Finkelstein rolled over to the bed. "Good work, Jewel." He commended his prized creation.

Jewel smoothed down her hair and adjusted her collar. "The next time he wakes up, he's _your_ patient."

a/n: Yeah, I know. These chapters are getting redundant. I promise, action sequences and violence will appear soon (yay violence). Thanks to the few still reading this. Please review. Can't stress this enough. Later, rock on.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Burned and Buried

a/n: I forgot to mention this last chapter. A Nehwon ghoul is a skeleton with translucent, apparitional skin. A 'ghast' is the ghost who strikes first when a group of ghost (or ghouls) attacks. The song "The Trigger Effect" is by Caged. Okay, enough of my nerdieness. Read on.

Outside the laboratory, Igor leaned against the side of the structure, lighting a fresh cigarette. His good eye followed Edgar as he paced back and forth along the meandering walkway. He held a nearly empty bottle of whisky in his shaky hand. Edgar looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks. His clothes were shredded and his hair matted.

He and Shock had spent the night chasing fires around town, interrogating as many citizens as they could. They never caught the ghouls responsible for the fires, but they had a few leads. Unfortunately, every citizen had a different story to tell and a different attitude when telling it. No damage was done that couldn't be repaired. Some were luckier than others. The pumpkin patch and Skellington Manor took the worst of it, however the Witch's shop had lost a lot of merchandise, and the Harlequin monster's prized Venus flytrap garden had been ravaged beyond all repair. Hundreds demanded reimbursements.

The sky looked red towards the horizon. "Not good." Igor sighed, flicking his cigarette butt aside.

Edgar downed the last of his whisky and chucked the bottle at a scrap heap. Glass shattered everywhere. "What's taking Grandpa so long? And where the hell is Shock? She was supposed to meet up with me!"

Igor shrugged. "Stand still." He ordered, popping a cap off a new bottle. "They get done when they get done." He took a quick swig before handing it to Edgar.

Edgar decided the hunchback was right, so he leaned against the lab, chugging down his whisky. "It's creepy out here." He said, glancing up at his surroundings. "Look at everyone. They're either standing outside their front door with a bat or they're sitting in the dark, peeping through their windows like we're about to be invaded."

"Very creepy." Igor agreed. "I seen this before."

"When you were alive?"

"Worse then. When people acted like this in home country, people went missing."

"Don't tell me that." Edgar begged. "I'm freaking out as it is." He felt himself twitch nervously. "Dammit! What's taking grandpa so long?"

Rustling could be heard in the distance. Edgar looked up. "Shock, is that you?"

"Not quite!"

Edgar spotted Wrath dragging something up the walkway. It was strange watching the gargoyle hybrid walk for a change. His bent, animal-like legs forced him to hobble along like a beaten dog on its hind legs.

Edgar's eyes widened as Wrath held up four young ghouls, including the one whose hand he had torn off. Though bound and gagged, they struggled, groaning incoherently in protest. "You went after them?"

Wrath smirked. "I spotted these assholes snooping around your yard last night during my shift."

The ghouls tried to jerk away from him. Wrath kicked the Nehwon ghoul in his side. "Shut up!" He snarled at them. "I couldn't catch all seven. They split up on me."

Edgar dragged the one handed zombie to his feet and tore the duck tape from his mouth. "Get your hands off me, you boney son of a bitch!"

Edgar bitch slapped him across the face. "Don't fuck with me, kiddo, I've had a shitty night. Who are you? Why did you try to burn my house down?"

"Go fuck yourself!"

Edgar slapped him again. "How old are you? Do you still live with your parents?"

"Suck my rotting balls, Skellington!"

He received two slaps for that one. "You and your little friends could do some serious jail time if you don't cooperate. I know the arsons were organized by someone else. Who are you working for?"

"Guess, faggot." The young zombie snickered. He looked over at his side. "What are you looking at, retard?" He sneered at Igor.

Wrath twisted his arm, forcing him to his knees. "You're starting to really annoy me." He warned.

Igor strolled over and nonchalantly swiped the zombie's wallet from his back pocket.

"Hey-OMPH!" He grunted as Edgar kicked his stomach in.

"Here." The hunchback handed Edgar the wallet. He smirked at the zombie and flicked a cigarette butt in his face before returning to his formal position against the lab.

Edgar looked over his ID. "Let him go, Wrath. He's a minor."

"Are you fucking kidding me? I **did not** fly half past east beastiefuck to just let them go! Aren't you going to press charges?"

"No. But I have a long list of pissed off townsfolk who will." He glared down at the other ghouls. Hand over your IDs, guys. You'll get them back when I say so."

"Fascist!" The one-handed zombie hissed.

"Shut your fucking mouth before I kick your teeth in!" He hissed before kneeling down to take the rest of their wallets.

Once each ID was Edgar's possession, Wrath released them. He left their arms bound behind their backs in case they tried anything sneaky. He and Edgar kicked them towards the exit.

"Tell your ghast to face me himself if he has a pair." Edgar sneered at the one-handed zombie, giving him an extra kick for good measure.

"Look at this! Sixteen, fifteen, sixteen, _fourteen_!" Wrath listed their ages in disbelief. "I'm used to a nightly prank or two, but this is bullshit!"

Edgar sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Don't be too hard on them. That poltergeist, Gore, is brainwashing them."

"Why didn't you press charges?"

"I have plenty of money to fix the manor. A lawsuit would just be a waste of my time."

Wrath snorted. "I don't understand you, Ed, and it's too close to sunrise to try." He leapt in the sir and took flight towards the rooftop of his apartment. "Dusk has the day watch!" He reminded Edgar before disappearing in the remaining shadows.

"Thanks, man!" Edgar collapsed against the lab, sliding down the wall until he sat on the ground. He pulled his knees to his chest and hid his face.

Igor patted him on the back. "You get through this. Don't worry."

Edgar nodded weakly. "Sorry about what that punk said to you. I should have fed him his nuts for that."

Igor shrugged indifferently. "You think he is first asshole to call me 'retard'? Bah!" Igor spit at the dirt. He took the whisky from Edgar's hand and took another swig. "At least he did not call me 'freak'. Then, I have to break his neck."

Edgar couldn't help but laugh. He would have paid fortune to see that. "Fucking- A, man." He said, slapping Igor a high-five.

Suddenly, the heavy iron door cracked open. Jewel stepped outside, wiping her gloves clean. "He's waking up, Edgar." She informed him calmly. "You may see him, if you'd like."

Edgar took the bottle back and chugged the rest of the whisky down. He clenched the bottle tightly, his expression somber. "I'll be right there, grandma." He followed Jewel inside and shut the door behind him.

Igor shuddered as the iron door made a heavy _**clang**_. "Poor kid." He shook his head sadly.

Santa and Chuck leaned against the stable gates, waiting for the town vet to show up and inspect the reindeer. They could both tell all eight were in perfect health, but Santa refused to allow any deer to pull his sleigh unless a trained professional gave them a clean bill of health.

Shivering, Chuck pulled his red snowcap over his ears. He had at least seventy pounds to gain before he could handle the cold as well as his father. "Hey, dad, what's up with Halloween Town, anyways?" He forced himself to ask.

Santa tugged on his beard. "That boogieman is back." He answered. "And according to Jack, he brought friends with him."

"Oh..." Chuck nodded. He didn't need any further explanation. He was well aware of the trouble Oogie Boogie was capable of. "Wow, that sucks. Ed's in for a bumpy sleigh ride, hu?"

"Yup."

"And unless he can fix everything himself, Halloween will go belly up and Oogie will go after Christmas Town, won't he?"

Santa shrugged. "It depends. If Oogie remembers me after all these years, he'll most likely hold some kind of grudge against me."

"So the chances of us getting involved in this down the road are high?"

"Yup."

"What are the chances of Ed saving Halloween by himself?"

"Slim." Santa answered truthfully.

Chuck sighed. "Yeah, I kind of figured...So, Ed is going to screw everything up for both holidays and I'm going to have to be the one who fixes it in the end, right?"

Santa couldn't help but chuckle. "Pretty much, yes."

"Damn..." Chuck kicked some snow. "Well, it can't be any worse than fixing Paul's screw ups..."

"Hold it. Who said you _had_ to fix anything?" Santa gave him a look he hadn't given Chuck since he was thirteen.

"You said Oogie would be coming after us eventually anyways. Why not cut out the middle man and stop him myself before he even thinks about Christmas?"

"We won't fight unless we absolutely have to."

"Just lend me the sleigh for three days- a week tops!" Chuck begged. "I can't just sit here knowing another holiday is in danger."

Santa sighed. "We're doing our part by protecting the children. The rest is up to citizens of Halloween."

"Who are ruled by _Edgar_, the boney boy blunder! Come on, dad! We both know Halloween is totally screwed if I don't do something."

Santa took a long pause to think. Chuck tried to study his face, but his serious expression remained frozen. Finally, Santa looked to him and said, "You have three days to come back safe with the kids, or Jack will do us more harm than Oogie ever could."

Chuck smiled. "Thanks da- wait? _With_ the kids?"

"They put you up to this, didn't they? You might as well settle their curiosity before they go insane."

"How did you know they put me up to this?"

"I've been studying them. I've never seen children looked so worried. Besides, if Hal', Cal' and AP are anything like their parents, they'll find a way to sneak back to Halloween no matter what I do to stop them."

Chuck snickered. "You're probably right."

Santa patted him on the back. "Hitch up Bobble, Smokey, Flurry, and Sleet. They still need to be broken in. Load the kids and leave before your mother notices. I'll cover for you."

"Kick ass!" Chuck hopped the fence and raced for the stables. "Thanks dad!"

Santa watched as he hitched the four untrained reindeer to the sleigh. He knew he was going against his better judgment, but this was a battle he couldn't win. "Promise me you won't do anything foolish."

Chuck looked to him as he tightened the reins. "Like what?"

"Like get your brains eaten or your limbs ripped off."

Chuck's smile faded. "I'm... not promising anything."

Santa shook his head as he walked away. "The vet's here." He announced irritably. "I can hear his dogs barking."

Chuck continued to prep the sleigh. A whiff of smoke filled his nostrils. He peeked under the sleigh and spotted a pair of long, pointy black boots.

"Hey bro, I'm on my hour lunch!" Jason greeted him from the other side of the gate. He took one last drag off his cigarette before rubbing it out on his tiny elfin wrist. He covered the pain of the burning sensation with a grin. "What's up? Are you about to practice steering?"

"Na, bro. I'm going on a sleigh trip. I just cleared it with the big guy."

Jason's pointed ears perked up. "Where too?"

"Halloween town" He whispered. "Ed's in a jam and I gotta help him out."

"You're fudging kidding me? Can I come?"

"No, it's just going to be me and the kids."

"Who?"

"You know, Greg and the rest of them. I'm smuggling them back home."

A twinkle flashed in Jason's dark almond shaped eyes. "What about Paul? Is he coming?"

Chuck sighed. "Yes."

"Then you have room for me!" Jason climbed over the fence and hopped in the sleigh.

Chuck glared down at the pale little worker elf. "Dammit, Jason, this isn't a joyride! Someone could seriously get hurt. I wouldn't be making this trip at all if Greg hadn't guilt tripped me into it."

"Hey, my x-mas vacation starts tomorrow. If I'm going to get killed, I want to do it on my day off."

Chuck shook his head laughing. "Fine, douche bag, but don't say I didn't warn you." He yanked Jason out of his seat by his burgundy suspender straps.

'Hey!" Jason swung at him, but his stubby arms couldn't reach.

"Shut up and help me track down the others. We're leaving as soon as possible."

The cauldron room looked warped from inside the glass jug where Gore hid. He had contorted his ectoplasmic body into a liquid-like substance in order to fit. He had been jumping from artifact to artifact all morning, observing the catacombs closely from the safety of the bookshelves. No one noticed his presence at all.

"What a boring existence..." He thought while watching the Warlocks brew their potions and recite their ancient hymns. Their deep voices monotonously echoed throughout the chamber. "It was kind of metal at first, but man, I'd go crazy down here after two days of this shit!"

The apprentices practiced their levitation spells on small trinkets, old notebooks and other such bric-a-brac. Their mentors would stop their prayers every so often to say something encouraging. Everyone seemed calm, happy...except one.

Gore spotted a warlock in grey robes standing in the far corner of the chamber. With a flick of his skinny, white wrist, he suspended a candle in mid air and drizzled hot wax into his bubbling cauldron. He pulled out a tiny vial suspended from a silver chain around his neck. He poured the small amount of thick blue liquid it contained into the mix. The warlock muttered continuously to himself. Gore tried to read his lips. The only word he could make out was 'blood'.

Hatchet jumped as someone latched onto his shoulder from behind. "Relax, brother." Trigger's thin purple lips formed a cockeyed grin. "You haven't looked away from that cauldron in ages. Witch troubles still getting to you?"

"You dolt!" Hatchet slapped Trigger's hat off his head, exposing his messy blue hair. "You broke my concentration!"

"Sorry! Jeez..." Trigger dusted off his hat and placed it back on his head. "If you're trying to watch Caliber through the cauldron, you're wasting your time. That spell isn't powerful enough to trace him all the way to Christmas town."

Hatchet continued to stir the concoction. "I have to try. I've been feeling some very bad vibrations lately. Very, _very_ bad vibrations."

Trigger snorted through his big, crooked nose. "I haven't felt a thing and neither have the elders. Did you ever stop to think maybe its all in your head? Let's have a smoke in the lounge. That'll make you feel better."

"This **isn't** about Shock."

Gore could feel himself grow tense. _Shock_...That warlock knew Shock and he knew that warlock!

"Then what is it about?"

"I told you. I'm feeling bad vibrations. You and Bristle have to help me form a protection circle around the territory. It's our only-"

"We will do no such thing, brother" Trigger refused. He grabbed Hatchet by the shoulder and forced him to back away from the cauldron. "You've been concentrating too hard. You need to breathe- meditate a while. It will help you learn to handle your witch."

"I can handle my witch just fine!" He snapped, jerking free from Trigger's grip.

"Trollshit. You've been whipped since day one. I know its tough juggling work with pleasure. I have a witch too you know. She won't let me near my daughters. I have a good mind to kidnap them myself sometimes. You can't stay mad at Shock for what she did and you know it."

Hatchet grumbled in his throat. Trigger took it as a 'you're right, brother'. He pushed Hatchet towards the exit, twisting his head forward whenever he looked back at the cauldron. "Nu-uh, brother." He scolded, waving his finger. "It's meditating time for you. We'll swing by our resting chambers and grab the good pipe."

Gore sighed with relief. For a second he was convinced that Hatchet had detected him. Oogie would never shut up if this plan failed. He waited inside the jug just a while longer until all his patience had completely withered away.

The warlocks looked about, startled as a disembodied cackle roared throughout the cauldron room. They screamed as the glass jug on the shelf exploded into a million pieces and a screaming apparition came charging out. Gore grinned maliciously at the lumplings cowering beneath his feet.

"Cute tricks, guys." He sneered at them. "But I can do you one better."

The eldest warlock stood, pointing a warty, gnarled finger at him. "Just who do you think you are, trespassing on sacred grounds?" Thannen shouted. "Be gone with you, spirit!"

Gore levitated three heavy wooden shelves and every artifact on them. He threw his fist forward, sending the shelves flying at the old warlock. Everyone screamed as they watched the shelves slam into Thannen and two other elders, crushing their decrepit bodies against the wall. A huge puddle of dark blue blood formed on the floor. It spread across the floor in seconds.

Gore froze in mid air. The warlocks scattered around him, scooping up their apprentices to carry them to safety. They seemed to move in slow motion. The entire universe did. Gore looked to his transparent hands in wide-eyed horror. He had never done anything so unspeakable in his life. "They were supposed to duck..."

He felt something burning against his back. He fell to the floor, screaming in agony as a band of warlocks stabbed him repeatedly with jagged, enchanted crystal shards. He couldn't see their faces, just the crystals hurdling toward his torso at an alarming rate. He felt his ghostly essence draining after every stab. Gore reached out, his form glowed brightly. "GET OFF OF ME!"

Hatchet choked on his drag. He lurched forward in his chair, hacking violently. Trigger patted him on the back. "Breathe, brother! Breathe!"

"Did- did you hear that?" He asked in between coughing. "There was a crash!" Not bothering to wait for a reply, he jumped to his feet and raced out to the hallway.

Trigger chased after him. He trailed Hatchet close behind until he came to an abrupt stop. Trigger nearly slammed into him. The warlocks stared in horror at the entranceway to the cauldron room. There was no entrance anymore, only rubble.

"No!" Hatchet gasped.

"A cave in?"

Hatchet dropped to his knees and frantically began to dig. Trigger joined him. "Is this what you were talking about, brother?" Trigger panted heavily as he scraped through the rocks and dirt. His voice quivered as if he was about to cry.

"Just keep digging!"

Jack paced around his living room. His nausea had subsided after ingesting the Doctor's antidote. He inwardly cursed Oogie's name and the wretched day he ever met the boogieman. The scorpion venom confirmed Jack's suspicions. It had Oogie's name all over itHe always did claim himself as King of Bugs.

The sun had risen and still no word from Edgar or the others. He began to assume the worst. His pacing quickened. The silence was oppressive. He couldn't take much more. He noticed Gregor's stereo from across the room. It hadn't been turned on since he left. Jack pressed a few buttons, receiving nothing but a startling screech and some static until he managed to find the on/play button. A metal song began to play. Jack didn't know the name of it and he was sure he didn't care for it, but he preferred listening to that over ominous silence.

"_Stand and Fight_

_Organize Rebellion_

_We'll uprise and soon you know that the peace will decay_

_The trigger effect has wiped the laws away_

_Will you still obey?_

_The trigger effect is beginning today_

Sally walked into the room with a pile of dresses in her hands. She looked exhausted. "I finished hemming Mrs. Weinrib's wardrobe." She announced wearily. Unfortunately, Sally's does her best work when she is extremely stressed out.

"They look great, dear...Have you heard from Edgar yet?"

_As frustration filled the streets_

_The politicians stomp their feet_

_They rolled their tanks into the towns to beat our opposition down_

Sally shook her head no. Her expression hardened. "I hope he shows up soon. His sliths have eaten everything in the kitchen and I don't like the way they're eyeing my kitties."

"I'll send them away in a minute, dear." Jack promised. "My head is still pounding."

_Stand and fight_

_Join us in rebellion_

_We'll uprise if they break their oath to us peace will decay_

_  
  
  
  
_

She approached him shyly. "I wish you would call in this morning. You still look ill."

Jack sighed. "I have no choice. Once the other crypt keepers found out about the escaped prisoner and Trivett's assault, they refused to come near the graveyard. I'm the only one left."

"The whole town is panicking from what I've heard." She added. "A little more rest will do you good."

_  
  
  
  
_

Jack took her hand and gently sat her on the couch. "You could use some rest yourself. You were up all night looking after me."

She smiled. "It's what I'm here for."

_  
  
  
_

Jack sat by her side and sighed. "Do you know who wrote this song by any chance?"

Sally paused to listen to the music. She struggled to think, but her mind came up blank. "I don't remember. Why are you listening to Gregor's CDs?"

"It's the closest thing to listening to him practice. He loves this song. He knows every chord by heart."

_  
  
  
_

Jack could picture Gregor practicing his guitar inside and outside. He could always hear the music throughout the cemetery and so could the neighbors. Most of the time he only played rhythm, unless Alia came by to practice with him on his spare guitar, in which case he and she would take turns practicing solos. There had been complaints, but Jack never made any effort to stop Gregor, even when his endless rehearsing got on his nerves. Now, Gregor wasn't here to practice and Jack could feel the void in his home. "I miss him, Sally."

"I do too."

_  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
_

Jack put an arm around her. What should have been a tender moment between them was cut short by the sound of a cat screeching. Sally nearly fell off her seat. "Jack! Do something!"

_To kill is the way_

_Surviving the bloodshed there's lives you must take_

_Its pointing at you_

_Make no mistake what will you do?"_

He raced down the hall until he spotted Ripper and Bill playing tug-of-war with one of Sally's pedigree black cats. "Drop her!" He barked, slapping Bill in the back of the head. "What do you think you're doing?"

They dropped the cat. She ran, hissing and leaving a trail of fur behind. Bill slinked away, whimpering. Ripper stepped forward. "Well...Ed didn't say we couldn't eat _your_ cats." It explained timidly.

Jack sighed. "Look, fellows. I appreciate your help, but its time you flew back to Edgar."

The two sliths exchanged glances. "Okay. Later, Jack!" Ripper said cheerfully as he raced out the door. Bill followed close behind.

Jack shook his head. "What have you gotten yourself into, Edgar?"

Trivett's eye sockets fluttered open. He slowly sat upright, groaning in agony. "A dream...?" He whispered before his full vision returned.

He gasped once he realized he was still in the same hospital bed.

"Chill out. You're in my grandpa's lab."

"Edgar? How did I- you-? What happened?"

Edgar glared at him with white-hot anger. He threw his bottle of whisky at Trivett as hard as he could.

Trivett ducked, allowing the bottle to crash against the wall instead. "Yo! What the fuck?" He shouted, brushing broken glass off his shoulders.

"What were you thinking?" Edgar cried, throwing Trivett's du-rag at him. "You stupid little bastard! Do you have any idea how worried I've been? Who are you trying to drive to second grave- me or you?"

Trivett noticed there was slurring of Edgar's words. He studied his face for a moment, then asked "H-have you been drinking?"

Edgar scowled. "Yeah, and it's your fault!"

Trivett stared up at him. His teary-eyed expression was nearly hidden by the number of bandages wrapped around his skull "I told you I'd fight for you and I meant it. I heard a bunch of punks talking outside my apartment building one day. They were lighting a garbage can on fire, talkin' all this shit about how they would do Skellington Manor next. I started listening for them every night until I found out when they planed to do it. I followed them after I left the graveyard. I tried to stop them, but... I'm really sorry."

"You should have told me. There was no way you could have taken seven dudes on at once! Any _idiot_ could have calculated those odds! You're twenty years old, Trivett, grow the fuck up!"

Trivett looked to his lap. Tears rolled down his cracked cheekbones. "I just wanted to help _you_ out for once. You've been dealing with so much bullshit lately, I- I thought I could, you know, spare you more hassle. I know it was stupid, but I would do it again if I had to. I ain't gonna let anyone start shit wit' you! I said I'd do anything for you and I meant it." Trivett twisted his du-rag into knots. His thin sheets became wet with tears.

Edgar sighed heavily as he placed a comforting hand on Trivett's shoulder. "If you really want to help me, you'll keep out of this whole mess and stay here until you recuperate."

Trivett backed up against the headboard. "Nonononononooo...I-I can't stay here. Hospitals freak me out. You have to take me home, Ed. For the love of God, don't leave me here!" He begged, half sobbing.

Edgar cringed, pushing him away. "Dude, calm down. This isn't even a hospital, it's my grandpa's _lab_."

"Yo, it smells funny, there's weird metal instruments everywhere and there's a creepy old guy in a white coat- that spells hospital to me!"

"You're in bad shape, dude. It's a miracle grandpa pieced you back together at all. You're going to need a least a week of bed rest and intensive supervision before you can go home."

"But-"

Edgar motioned for silence. "Promise me you'll stay out of trouble, okay?"

Trivett felt his fractured bones rattling under his t-shirt. He was scared out of his wits, but too weary to argue. He nodded, swallowing a lump in his throat. "Okay, I promise..."

The sight of Trivett's injuries nearly brought him to tears. Sure, the majority of the blame lay with Trivett's own stupidity, but Edgar felt he was to blame as well. Trivett was hurt sticking up for him after all. The guilt was too much for him. Edgar gave him a quick hug. "I'm glad you pulled through. Look...I know you think you owe me and you have to defend me, but you don't. If you want to support me, don't get suckered into everyone's bullshit."

Trivett nodded. "I won't. Not again."

"Good." There was a sense of sadness behind Edgar's smile. "When I saw you crumpled on the pavement, I'd never been so...Do- do you need anything?"

"Could you send a message to Stial? Tell here where I am and that I'm okay?"

"Sure" Edgar stood, getting ready to walk towards the exit.

"Wait!" Trivett begged. "Could you...chill wit' me 'til she gets here?"

Edgar sat once again and kicked his feet up. "Yeah, okay. Grandpa said someone has to make sure you don't fall asleep for another hour anyways."

"Good..." Trivett sighed with relief before rolling over.

Edgar silently watched over the young skeleton. It might have been the combination of fatigue, alcohol, guilt, and anxiety, but Edgar couldn't see Trivett's present boney self, curled up in blankets and bandages. Instead, he saw his former ten-year-old self- a small, auburn headed boy with rotting green skin, sunken in eyes and exposed finger bones.

Remorse caught up with him. Edgar held his head in his hand and started to cry. "That kid looks up to you. He's probably the last person in town willing to take a beating like that for you, and look what you allowed to happen to him!" Edgar scolded himself mentally. "You promised to always watch his back! He thinks of you as family and all you've done these past ten years is ignore him when he needed you most! How many people are you going to let down?"

Edgar choked back his tears as quietly as he could. Trivett had probably drifted off to sleep, but he didn't want to risk anyone witnessing him cry. He leaned over and gently nudged Trivett until his eye sockets opened. "Not for another hour." Edgar reminded him.

Trivett rubbed his eyes. "I'm really tired, Ed."

"I know. I'm sorry..."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Dawn Looks Dark

In a small cabin atop one of the surrounding hills of Christmas Town, Chuck mentally prepared for the journey ahead in his bedroom. Fricca pressed her foot against his back as he did pushups. He counted each successful pushup inwardly to save his breath.

"You're not actually going through with this, are you?" Fricca scolded down at him, crossing her arms. From Chuck's angle, all he could see was her breast and a few curly blue locks of her hair.

"I promised the kids I would." He replied, panting heavily.

"This is **idiotic**." She spat coldly.

"What do you have against Halloween town?"

"I don't trust it- and I trust human territory even less." She removed her foot and stepped back, allowing Chuck to stand and catch his breath.

Chuck whipped the sweat from his forehead before putting his hunter green shirt and red hoodie back on. "I think I can walk around human territory pretty inconspicuously."

"Uh, yeah, but Paul can't or any of the others for that matter."

"We'll be careful. No one will know we're there." He assured her, loading his pistol. He turned to her, wearing a slight smirk as he slipped the gun in his back pocket. "Just admit it. You're worried about me."

"I could care less what happens to you. In fact, I hope you get robbed."

"I could get hurt. There's slight a possibility I might even be killed."

"Good."

Chuck laughed. "You're the coldest bitch in Christmas, you know that?"

Fricca's ears drooped. She looked to the floor, hiding the look of worry on her delicate elvish face. "I'm not going to wait up for you." She warned.

"I don't expect you to." Chuck embraced her in a hug, stroking her back gently. "Why can't you just admit, you'll miss me while I'm gone?"

"Why can't you admit you're a dumbass for going along with this?"

"Because, that would mean you're right about the trip, but we won't know that for sure unless I leave for it."

Fricca slapped him across the face. More shocked than hurt, Chuck felt his cheek. It actually stung. There aren't too many elves that can hurt him with their bare hands. "I'll miss you too."

Fricca sighed. She caved in and gave him a goodbye kiss. "Get your shit and get out, would you? I'd like to have the house to myself for a few days."

They exchanged smiles before Chuck left for the hallway. Downstairs, Paul and Jason passed a doobie back and forth while the lumplings threw on some extra coats, hats, and gloves. Paul had changed into a pair of blue jeans, a Pink Floyd shirt, and a black stocking cap. Jason just threw on a youth-sized Slayer shirt over his usual clothes. His plain burgundy pointed hat was replaced with a long black and burgundy stripped stocking cap that sagged to one side due to the weight of the black puffball at the end.

"Is everyone ready?" Chuck asked once he reached the bottom step.

"We're all set." Gregor answered.

Paul stashed the remainder of the doobie in a plastic bag and hid it under his hat. "Us too, bro."

"Good. Everyone, to the sleigh!"

Gregor and the lumplings sat in the backseat with Paul wedged in the middle. Jason sat upfront next to Chuck. He cracked the reins, motioning for take off. "On Bobble! On Flurry! On Smokey! On Sleet!"

Caliber cocked his head. "Smokey? AHHHHHHHHHH!" He and the other children screamed as the reindeer lifted the sleigh off the ground and rocketed towards the sky. After a moment, their shrill cries of terror became cries of excitement.

Chuck glanced back after reaching his desired altitude. "You guys okay back there?"

"Yeah..." Alia replied, trying to keep her hair from blowing haphazardly.

"This is freaking AWESOME!" Halberd cried, throwing a metal salute to the wind.

Caliber clung to the edge of his seat. "Do you think you could steady those creatures a bit?" He asked timidly.

"Sorry, they're new at flying." He glanced back again. "Paul, what happened to calling shotgun?"

Paul smiled, folding his arms behind his head. "The kids wanted me back here with them. I'm the favorite." He teased, simpering.

"Yeah, well you're still a douche miser." Chuck mumbled, tightening his grip. "I swear to God, Paul, if you mess me up while I'm trying to steer, I'll throw you off the fudging side!"

"Just keep your eye on the sky." Paul sneered. "I'll be good."

Alia rubbed her hands together. "H-h-how l-l-long bef-f-ore we g-g-get to a w-w-warmer climate?" She asked, shivering.

"Soon, AP, real soon. Hold on tight!" Chuck cracked the reigns once again. The deer accelerated, weaving around the clouds.

Gregor looked over the side. The ground below looked miles away. Christmas Town was just a colorful blur in the distance. He felt sick, so he pulled his head back inside and made a mental note not to look down again until they were in the real world...

"Looks pretty bad, doesn't it?" Edgar kicked a loose dirt clot across the ground.

Jack looked over the wreckage of the Manor's former backyard. "You're lucky, Edgar. An avalanche like that could have collapsed the entire foundation."

"I suppose I should start counting my blessings." Edgar sighed. "Okay, fellows, time to come inside!"

The sliths clawed their way to the surface of the rubble, where they had been burrowing through all morning. They flew to Edgar's side, brushing gravel, dirt, and dust from their bodies.

"Ed" Kirk addressed him timidly. "We're-"

"I know, I know- you're hungry!" He snapped. "For screeching out loud, fellows! You're eating me out of house and home!"

The sliths cowered away from him, whimpering.

Jack placed a hand on Edgar's shoulders. "Give them a break. You would always be hungry too if you grew four inches a day."

Indeed, they were growing. Somehow, they managed to grow nearly as tall as him within the last day or so. Their once pinkish skin had become a dark, carrion grey. Their skulls looked dense as stone. Their bodies appeared emaciated despite all they've eaten. Though nearly reaching gigantic proportions, the sliths maintained a shy youthful appearance. Edgar's expression softened. "Let's go inside and eat some breakfast, okay?"

The sliths gathered around the kitchen table. They sat in a civilized manner, but ate like savage wolves. Edgar leaned wearily against the counter. "Aren't you going to eat anything?" Jack asked.

"I'm too damn tired to eat." He admitted. "What about you? I'd grab a maggot muffin before they're all gone."

Jack held his torso, grimacing. "I'm still too queasy to eat."

The sound of snarling and gnawing began to give Edgar a headache. "Keep it down!" He shushed the sliths. "The guys are still sleeping!"

"When did they finally crawl in bed?"

"Oh Hell, they crashed hours ago. I let Barrel and Hester spend the night for helping clean up the wreckage. Shock is still at Town Hall, I guess...I don't know." He trailed off, running his fingers through his hair. "My God, I can't take much more of this! I'm starting to think I should just give up."

"Don't talk like that!" Jack scolded him.

"But I don't know what to do anymore! Everyone is against me and if they're not, they get hurt! I gave it my best shot, but I'm not cut out to be pumpkin king."

Jack placed his hands on Edgar's shoulders, looking him in the eye sockets. "You said you would prove to everyone you're responsible. Well, now is the time to do it."

"How? No matter how hard I try, I can't think of a peaceful solution for this."

"There might not be one." Jack glanced at the door. "Come with me to the study, Edgar. I need to talk to you..."

Edgar followed him up the spiral staircase. In the study, Jack sat Edgar down at his desk. He paused for a long while, gathering his thoughts. Finally, Edgar was forced to ask. "What did you need to talk to me about?"

"I'm...not sure how to explain this..." Jack admitted. "I'm very worried about you, Edgar, but not for the obvious reasons. I'm afraid you might get yourself killed at the rate you're going."

"I admit, the citizens have been showing a lot of hostility towards me, but it's not like I'm in the middle of a battle or something."

"It could develop into one." Jack corrected him. "I'm speaking from experience, Edgar. During my last encounter with Oogie, I lost all control. He tried to kill my friends then came after me. The next thing I knew I ripped him apart and scattered his bug innards all over the casino floor. I only meant to break Sandy and your mother free, but I wound up killing a fellow ghoul."

"Oogie had it coming."

Jack scowled at him. "You're missing the point. Once a skeleton is forced to fight, we keep fighting until we either win or get destroyed. It's a weakness we just can't overcome. I never had it in me to harm another creature until my skeleton instincts kicked in. I was lucky and walked away victorious, but you might not be so lucky."

"Skeletal _instincts_?" He repeated. "Oh come on, dad! You don't really believe in that curse of the lich crap, do you? Everyone knows that's just some urban legend the old pumpkin kings made up to scare into amateur skeletons into going easy on humans during the frightful."

"The lich curse is no joke! Ask your uncle Death if you don't believe me!" Jack snapped defensively. "Oogie is very good at playing mind games. He'll keep backing you into a corner until you have no choice but to lash out. I've been overwhelmed by my instincts before, but you've never been in the kind of mortal danger it takes for the curse to take affect."

Edgar's expression hardened. "I've never been in-? Screw you I've never been in mortal danger!" He shouted. "What the fuck do call the whole Noogie kidnapping and torturing me thing?"

"Don't you **dare** take that tone with me!"

"Don't you stand there and patronize me like I'm a fucking lumpling! You may be way older and have way more clout, but I work just as hard as you and I've taken my share of lumps! If you think I'm not ghoul enough to face my own demons, you can kiss my boney ass!"

"Bold words coming from the boy who was about to give up on Halloween altogether ten minutes ago!"

Edgar could feel his skull about to explode with anger. "If I recall correctly, you gave up on Halloween yourself Mr. WATCH ME _IMPROVE_ CHRISTMAS!"

Jack punched him in the face so hard he knocked his mandible loose. Edgar popped his jaw back in place, staring at his father in shock. In all his childhood and adulthood, Jack had **never** struck him. Jack backed away, his punching hand quivered in shame. "Edgar, I...I-"

"Curse of the lich overwhelmed you, dad?" He sneered coldly.

Jack fought the urge to strike him again. "Go ahead! Act like an obnoxious whelp! After all these years, you still think of me as this horrible tyrant trying to dictate your existence, don't you? Well, I have news for you! You wouldn't be anywhere without me! I pissed away seventeen years of my marriage teaching you EVERY scare in and out of the book and for what?" Jack poked him in the chest. His voice became louder, more venomous. "I thought you had what it took to be a real pumpkin king, but I guess I was wrong! You've really disappointed me, Edgar. _Really_ disappointed me..."

Edgar was speechless. He looked to his feet, unable to face Jack's resentful glare any longer.

Jack's expression softened. He knew he had gone too far. He reached out and embraced his son in a hug. "I-I didn't mean it, Edgar- any of it." He assured him, allowing his tears fall on his shoulder. "I just don't want you to lose control and wind up double dead."

Edgar looked his father in the eye sockets. "I promise I won't accidentally kill myself in a blind, homicidal rage, okay? Honestly, I wish someone would come after me. Maybe then I can stop the assholes that have been screwing with my holiday once and for all."

Jack shook his head in disapproval. "That isn't a good idea. Two wrongs don't make a right, you know."

"No, but two wrongs make things _even_ and in reality, that's all that matters."

"I know what you're thinking, but not all of this is your fault. You're the pumpkin king, so no matter what happens to Halloween, you share a small portion of the blame, but the majority of this is _not_ your fault."

"It's getting to be too much to deal with, you know?" Edgar lamented with a heavy sigh. "Gore and Oogie have gone too far! They can do whatever they want to me, but when they start dragging you guys and kids like Trivett into this-"

Jack patted Edgar on the back gently as he cried on his shoulder. They weren't tears of sadness or despair, but of inconsolable anger. He could tell by the tenseness in Edgar's spine. "Now, now... everyone is okay so far. Don't let it eat away at you, or you might not be able to control yourself later."

Edgar stopped sobbing, though a few tears still leaked out.

"That's it, breathe" Jack instructed. "Calm down."

Edgar broke away from his embrace and leaned against a bookshelf. "This is my fault though. I should have expected Gore to play dirty. I should've have let him escape. I should have dragged him away for questioning. Now, because of my clumsiness, Trivett's in intensive care!"

"You can't blame yourself for Trivett. He has a knack for getting into trouble."

Edgar sighed. "It's still my fault. He was trying to defend me. I'm responsible for him."

Jack led him towards the stairway. "Edgar you look exhausted. You need to sleep." He insisted. "Clean up and go take a nap in your own bed. Try to forget about your problems for awhile."

"There isn't enough liquor in Halloween for me to do that." Edgar thought sarcastically.

The doorbell screeched. Edgar groaned in frustration. "Dammit all to hell! What is it now?"

He raced down the stairs to answer the front door. Ripper arrived first. It cracked the door open, revealing Shock and Hatchet on the other side. They looked as if she had been dragged by wild horses. "Where the hell have you been?" Edgar shouted.

"At the witches' community." Shock removed her hat, fidgeting with the brim as they entered. "Are the guys up yet?"

"No, they're still sleeping, why?"

"Wake them up." Hatchet begged. "They have to come with us."

"_Why_?" Edgar repeated irritably. "What happened?"

"I had to evacuate the catacombs. There was a massive cave in." Shock answered. "Hatchet says it wasn't an accident."

Edgar looked to the warlock with a sinking expression on his face. "Was it-?"

"I-I didn't see it for myself. I was all the way in the slumber chambers when it happened. But yes, I'm almost positive it was him. It would have taken a massive earthquake and a crate of dynamite to collapse the caldron room otherwise."

"Any causalities?"

"Three elders and five sorcerers." Hatchet answered, looking sadly to his feet. "Brother Trigger and I dug up the bodies."

"Holy shit..." Edgar was too stunned for any other words. He pointed to hallway and said, "The guys are in the guest rooms. Just go up the stairs. Shock knows where everything is."

"Thank you" Hatchet tipped his hat politely then followed Edgar directions.

Shock followed him, but Edgar held her back. "Do you need my help?"

Shock shook her head no. "It would be better if I addressed the witches' community myself. You focus on the Town border. I heard Oogie is gathering a merry band of assholes out in the woods somewhere. They're trying to invade the undergrounds. So far everything that stretches from Oogie's casino to the catacomb entrance is under their control."

"So he's trying to destroy Halloween from the outside in, not from inside out."

"Nice little change of pace, hu?" Shock's sarcasm couldn't even lighten her mood.

"Do what you have to do then meet me at Town Hall."

She nodded in agreement then left for the stairs. Edgar frowned. He had so hoped for a solid five-hour nap. He felt someone tap his shoulder. He turned around to find Kirk standing before him with his claws clasped timidly behind hid back. "We'll scout the borders." It offered. "We'll return with a full report."

"Are you sure you're ready?" Edgar kicked himself mentally. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just, I haven't had much time to train you and-"

"We'll be back at dawn." Kirk assured him.

Edgar nodded. "Get going. You take the north, Skelter takes the south, Bill takes the east and Ripper takes the west."

Kirk flashed him the metal salute, then flew off. A small ray of hope illuminated Edgar face as he watched his beloved minions gathered in the kitchen. That ray of hope quickly vanished after they busted right through the closed widows to start their aerial mission.

Edgar frowned. "I am so screwed..."

Oogie led Gore aside for a private conversation in his neon bat cove. Noogie and Dixie lurked in the shadows, listening in. The bats screeched, flapping their glowing wings widely overhead. Gore ducked. Usually bats did not bother him, but there was something unusually vicious about Oogie's neon bats. They seemed to possess a human-like awareness that allowed them to snicker down at him (and some of them were as big as humans).

Oogie jiggled a pair of dice in his hand. Judging from the scowl on his poorly reconstructed face, Gore knew he was not pleased.

Oogie took a deep breath. With considerable ease, he released, his shadow form separated from his solid burlap from. His black apparitional mass waltzed over to Gore and put his around his shoulder. "Kid," He addressed the poltergeist casually. "Would you mind explaining to me WHAT THE FUCK YOU WERE THINKING?"

Gore struggled to break free from his grip. He pulled his head away as if Oogie's shouting damaged his ears. "I drove the warlocks out!" He cried defensively.

Oogie lifted him above his head by his jacket collar and slammed him against the wall. Gore grunted in agony. His body never actually made contact with the stone, but he was still weak from fighting his way out of the caldron room. He could barely maintain a solid shape. He seemed to fade in and out like TV static.

"You fucking idiot! Do you realize what you've done?" Oogie shook him violently- his grip tightening. "You demolished the caldron room! That entire area is worthless to us now!"

"The catacombs stretch over three miles! One piece of shit chamber is no big loss!"

"Don't you tell **me** what is and what isn't a big loss! You could have fucked everything up, shit head!"

Angered, Gore found the strength to shove Oogie off him. "Your bug pals have what they wanted, don't they? What are you bitching about?"

Oogie pushed Gore right back, twice as hard as before. "You were supposed to let the widows _capture_ the warlocks! Instead you let them flee to Halloween!"

"_So_?"

"So? SO?" Gore received a swift slap in the face for that stupid question. "So, the warlocks are going to tell everyone YOU destroyed their homes! The citizens will start taking Edgar's side again!"

"The only ones who clearly remember what I look like are dead. No one is going to believe those religious nuts anyways."

Oogie's eye twitched with annoyance. "I may be a gambling man, but I DON'T take chances! We have to get rid of as much opposition as possible if we have even the slightest hope of pulling this off!"

Oogie paced back and forth around the cove, stomping. "I will NOT let those smug bastard Skellingtons win this time! I was always five times scarier than Jack, but _he_ got the fame, _he_ got the glory, _he_ got the **power**! I'm so close to finally claiming what's rightfully mine and I will NOT let some boob like you screw things up for me now!"

"Hey, at least I've actually been _doing_ something!" Gore sneered, tapping his extended chest with his thumb. "All you've done is sit on your fat ass and bark orders!"

Oogie wrapped his arm around him once again, grinning fiendishly. "Damn right I have, kid and I'll tell you why. _I_ am the boss and _you_ are my stooge! I do all the thinking while you carry out my orders to my exact specifications, or I terminate your sorry ass! See how that works?"

Gore's face contorted with rage. Oogie hit him where it really hurts that time. From the time Gore, Dixie and Trixie were fifteen to the day of their deaths, they had been nothing but servants to rock stars. He liked the exciting roadie life of concerts, drugs and cheep women, but there was always something inside that told him he was not meant to serve the rock star, but to be a rocker himself. He longed to start a solo project and become wealthy and famous, but died before he ever got a chance.

He didn't like spending his life under the heel of a rock star any better than spending his afterlife under the heel of a child's nightmare. "I am **no one's** stooge, Oogie! No one's!" He hissed venomously.

Oogie laughed as he threw Gore aside. "Your life's history says differently, kiddo." His expression hardened. "I'm giving you one fair warning. If you **ever** try a stupid stunt like that again, you'll be nothing but an oozy smear on my casino floor, got it?"

Gore gritted his teeth until he forced himself to nod in agreement. Satisfied, Oogie walked away. Dixie hovered over to Gore's side and helped him maintain his balance. "You shouldn't test him." She warned. "Boogies don't screw around."

"Why didn't you mention boogiemen are such assholes before we teamed up with them?"

"Oogie's an asshole, but not my Noogie. He loves me."

"You don't need him. We don't need either one of them!" Gore jerked free and drifted down the dark corridor.

Dixie chased after him. "Wait! Where are you going?"

"To find Edgar." He answered scowling. "Oogie can have Jack, but the Pumpkin King is mine..."

"AH!"

"AHH!" Trivett nearly jumped ten feet in the air after awaking to the sight of Igor's deformed face directly above his.

Igor jumped as well. He struggled to maintain his balance as Trivett threw his sheets at the hunchback and cowered in the corner. "Who- who the fuck are you? What are you doing?"

"The doctor's assistant. He told me to check on you" Igor replied slowly, but clearly. "Why you jump?"

"You scared the shit out of me!"

"You scare shit out of me!" Igor cried defensively.

Trivett paused to catch his breath and calm his nerves. "Sorry, hospitals freak me out. I died in one."

"Me too, but I don't cry like baby about it."

Trivett frowned. "Can I check out, please? I feel a lot better."

"No, the doctor says you stay here. If you have problem, talk to him."

"Okay... where the hell is he?"

Igor pointed to the door. "In workshop."

"Doing what?"

Igor shrugged. "I don't ask questions; just do what he tells me to." Igor bent over to pick up the discarded sheets. "I take you downstairs, if you walk good now. You still drugged, yes?"

Trivett held his head. The length of the room shortened and lengthened the harder he tried to stare at it. His legs felt wobbly and his joints felt numb, but he couldn't stand to be in this laboratory any longer. "I'm okay." He answered. "Just dizzy."

"Walk this way." Igor instructed before limping towards the door.

Trivett followed. Igor looked over his shoulder at him. "No, walk _this_ way!" He limped onward, exaggerating his movements.

Trivett shook his head in confusion. "If I tried to I'd fall on my ass."

"No, it's from movie, "Young Franken-" never mind..." Igor sighed. "Just hurry up."

In his workshop, Dr. Finklestein hunched over a Petri dish filled with a strange fluid. Random piles of partially decayed animal and human remains were scattered over the table. He drizzled a few drops of the corrosive liquid onto one of the body parts, scribbled down a few details about the reaction, and then repeated the process.

Trivett stood in the doorway, watching the old man toil. "Master, he's awake." Igor announced.

The doctor didn't bother to look up. "Thank you, Igor. Now, finish feeding the lizards, would you?"

Igor walked away, leaving Trivett by himself. The young skeleton cautiously entered, but still managed to hit his head several times on some low hanging machinery (none of which he could determine their function other than to look creepy) and bump his thighbone on the table.

The doctor jumped, accidentally spilling a huge puddle of the acid. "God dammit!" He spat as he wheeled himself backwards before the substance spilled on his lap. "Watch what you're doing, dumbass! Damn kids..." He mumbled, brushing off his lab coat.

"Sorry!" Trivett held his hands up as he backed away. "I'm not trying to bother you; I just wanted to get out of bed."

"You should lie back down; you need more bed rest. We must let your bones harden before you can function on a normal level again."

"Yo, I appreciate your help, but I'm not staying. You can't keep me here."

"Wrong, smartass." The doctor corrected him. "You'll stay here until I decide you're fit to leave, so I suggest you shut up and get comfortable in the meantime." The doctor rolled back to the desk to try to salvage his experiment, not bothering to give Trivett a second glance.

"Will you remove my bandages?" He asked. "They're too itchy. It's driving me nuts."

"Soon, my boy. Leave them alone for now. They're the only things keeping you together."

"Damn..." Trivett sighed, burying his hands in his pockets. "Can I at least chill down here wit' you? That ugly little Russian guy creeps me out." Trivett begged, leaning over the Doctor's shoulder.

"If by 'chill' you mean you mean lounge around and get in my way, then no. Go back to bed like I told you to do."

Trivett pouted. "Yo doc, why you gotta be hatin'?"

The sound of his voice made the doctor cringe. "I'm going to tell you what I tell my grandson every day; Shut your God damn mouth, don't touch anything and stop leaning on my chair before I break your fingers." He warned, holding up his pointer stick.

Trivett unhanded his chair then backed up a step. "Aw, come on, doc, I have a HUGE fear of hospitals. Don't make me go back to that room."

The doctor sighed. "Pull up a chair and sit, but DON'T touch anything!"

Trivett complied. He sat at the opposite end of the workbench. He hunched forward, resting his head in his folded arms as if he was in fourth grade math class again. At first, he watched the doctor, but his eye sockets soon wondered around the room. Every so often the doctor would pop open his skull and scratch his brain in thought. Trivett tried not to watch too closely. The sight of brains made him nauseous. He drifted into boredom.

"Why are you in a wheelchair?" He asked out of the blue.

The random interrogation threw Dr. Finklestein off. "Massive stroke." He finally answered. "I'm not completely paralyzed. I can stand just long enough to change clothes or reach something on the shelves."

"That sucks...So how did you die?"

"Another massive stroke."

"I think I died of cancer or something. I can't remember exactly. Whatever killed me hurt like a bitch for years though."

The doctor responded with an indifferent nod. "Are you American?"

"I'm from Boston. Why, are you American too?"

"Yes, but I would imagine things have changed a great deal since the year of my death."

Trivett shrugged. History is not his forte, so he couldn't really give the old man a straight response. "What's you're real name?"

"Dr. Finklestein is the only name I go by anymore."

Trivett twiddled his thumbs. "It's all good...Are you Jewish?"

"My name is _Finklestein_." He sneered. "Take an educated guess."

"That nurse- is she your twin sister or something?"

"Technically, she's my wife. I made her in my likeness."

"Yo, that's whack, like mad scientist whack!" Trivett shuddered. That piece of information was a little too disturbing for his liking. "What did you make her out of?"

The doctor shook his head in disbelief. "Papier-mâché!" He snapped. "Stop asking stupid questions, you're annoying me!"

Trivett kept his head low on the table for about three minutes or so. "Yo, Fink, when are you going to take these bandages off?"

"Maybe tomorrow depending on how you feel tonight. And it's Dr. Finklestein to you."

"Trivett" He stated his name.

"Trivett? That sounds like some bone-headed name Edgar would pull out of his ass."

"It is. Ed named me the day I entered town. My human name was Bryan."

The doctor chuckled. "I called it. Hey, do you need another dose of pain killers?"

Trivett shook his head. "Na, I'm good. I can't even feel my skull right now."

"Trust me, you don't want to." He smirked in a way that sent chills down Trivett spine. "When you do need another dose, let me know. I might not be able to hear you groaning from your bed."

"Sure..." He shifted uncomfortably. "Yo, could you give me a tour or something? I've never actually been in a real lab before."

The doctor scowled at him. "Can't you see I'm busy? Ask Igor to show you around. I have more important things to do than prattle on with a snot-nosed brat like you."

Trivett stood and pushed in his chair, knocking the table once again. He stormed out of the workshop, pouting. "Yo, I ain't gonna stand there and take that shit from a wrinkly old nutcase. If he runs his mouth one more time I'll bitch slap him so hard-"

"Watch it! Wet Floor!"

"AHHH!" Trivett jumped, pressing his back against the wall and clutching at his chest as if he was having a heart attack. He stared in wide-eyed terror at the warped image of Igor's smile through a large system of dirty interlocking test tubes fused together along the hallway.

Igor used his mop as a crutch as he laughed hysterically at the jumpy young skeleton. "You too easy!" He cried, gasping for breath in between laughs.

"That's fucked up!" Trivett shouted. "Stop doing that!"

"I sorry! I sorry. I no pick on you. It's just for fun." Igor assured him, extending his hand in a truce.

Trivett reluctantly shook. "Yeah, real funny...Hey, are you busy...?"

Igor leaned his mop against the wall. "No. You bored?"

"Yeah. I wanted the doc to show me the lab, but he's being a dick. Would you mind?"

"No. I bored too." Igor headed for the spiral wheelchair ramp. "I show you the other rooms and outside, yes?"

Trivett followed. He managed to crack a smile. "It's all good..."

"It's foggy." Paul stated, squinting towards the distance.

"No shit." Chuck sneered as he struggled to keep the deer steady.

Caliber started to twitch in his seat. "You can't see what you're doing, can you? Oh fucking-A! We're lost! We're hopelessly lost!"

"We're not lost, chill out!" Chuck ordered.

"Then where are we?" Jason asked, peaking over the sides. "Visibility is like zero up here."

"It's just a storm." Chuck assured the others. "We're probably over Canada somewhere."

"Good, then we should try to land." Gregor suggested.

"No, keep going until we hit the states" Paul objected.

"Why? There's graveyards in Canada!" Alia argued.

"Yeah, but they have better restaurants in the US."

"Bro, I don't care! We're not stopping to eat anyways!" Chuck informed him.

"But I'm hungry!" Paul whined.

"I'm hungry too." Halberd added.

"It's not even safe to land yet. Once I get a clear view of the ground I'll land the sleigh and we'll find something to eat real quick, okay?"

Paul's face lit up. "Can we go to KFC?" He begged.

The others groaned in protest.

"What?"

"We're not eating at Kentucky Fried Shittin'." Caliber refused.

"But I want chicken!"

Chuck slammed his fist on the dashboard. "Dammit Paul, we're not eating at KFC! Shut the hell up!"

"What about Popeye's?"

"**NO**!"

"YOU **SUCK**!" Paul cried, kicking the back of Chuck's seat.

Chuck's grip on the reins tightened. He was seconds away from handing them to Jason long enough to reach towards the back seat and punch Paul in the mouth.

He continued to kick, shouting "CHICKEN! BOCK! BOCK! BOCK!"

Gregor reached over Caliber and tried to strangle Paul. "STOP!" He begged. "You'll tilt us upside-down!"

"Ooh! Ooh! I want Arby's!" Halberd announced, raising his hand.

Chuck shook his head. "No, too expensive."

"Do we _have_ to eat fast-food?" Alia asked.

"YES!" The others barked in unison.

"Why?"

"Because it's _fast_!" Gregor snapped. "We don't have a lot of time to screw around!"

"Lets go to Seven Eleven." Jason suggested.

The lumplings groaned. "No way!" Alia sneered.

"All they have is frozen food." Caliber added.

"Frozen food sucks." Halberd finished.

Jason crossed his arms, pouting. "Fine, screw all of you! I'm out of ideas."

"We'll swing by Taco Bell." Chuck said, his eye twitching in aggravation.

"No! Not El Crappo Taco! Anything but El Crappo Taco!" Paul moaned, kicking Chuck's seat once again.

"I'm going to kick your fucking ass if you don't knock it off!" Chuck shouted, balling his fist in Paul's face!"

"LAND!" Gregor cried, pointing over the side."

Chuck looked down and spotted a large green mass. "Sweet! Hold tight, guys, I'm taking her down!" He cracked the reins three times. The reindeer dived towards the ground below.

All the lumplings but Gregor cried "WEEEEE!" while throwing their hands in the air. Gregor had to hold his hand over his mouth to keep himself from vomiting.

"Well, at least we made it this far." He thought...

a/n: This was mostly a dialog chapter. I apologize about that. More action next chapter, promise. Oh, I need to mention a few disclaimers. The lich is a fan concept that is based off of the creature type from Dungeons and Dragons (you've come to expect my nerdieness by now). All restaurant references were used just for the sake of comic relief. I'm not a big fan of fast-food, but I don't have anything against one particular establishment. PLEASE DON'T SUE!"

If anyone is still reading this, please drop me a review and let me know. So far, I think maybe two people are left (thanks guys). Thanks for reading, rock on.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Who Needs Enemies?

A/n: These chapters are going to get a little shorter. It'll take me longer to tell the story, but it'll probably be easier on all of us this way ). Thanks for reading (please review). Rock on.

Gregor and the others emerged from an abandoned mausoleum in the far outskirts of Halloween Town Cemetery. They wore smiles on their faces; carrying leftovers from six different fast food joints and Christmas candy. Chuck, however, was not so cheery.

"I should **kill** you!" He hissed, pointing to the kids. "I told you guys to stay together! Rusty white van equals stay the fuck away! And Paul! What the fuck is wrong with you? 'Oh look, there's a brown one!'" He quoted irritably. "Jiminy H Cricket!"

"You're just pissed because every kid you walked passed recognized you and asked if they were on the 'good' list." He retorted.

"Sure, they know who I am, but the dickweed at that gas station thought I was fourteen! Thanks a whole fucking heap for making me buy cigarettes by the way!"

Jason pouted. "Hey, who do you think that cashier would be more willing to sell smokes to, me or you?"

Chuck's balled fists were trembling at this point. "Back to my original point- you all deserve to be slaughtered!"

"Hey, we didn't prank any cops." Halberd stated cheerfully with his mouth full of fries. "And we made it, didn't we? So quit bitching."

"It could have gone worse." Gregor agreed, leaning against a tombstone. "The real world is weird in December."

"Yeah, all the lights and tinsel nearly blinded me." Alia rubbed her eyes.

"We should totally go back Central Park for Halloween this year!" Caliber suggested enthusiastically.

"Guys!" Chuck interrupted as he and his elven friends struggled to pull the sleigh through the mausoleum door. "A little help?"

"It's wedged, bro." Paul said, panting. "It's not going anywhere."

"Assbags!" Chuck spat, kicking the sleigh.

"Dude, just leave it behind, no one will touch it." Gregor assured him. "We'll tie the deer up. They should be safe until we come back for them."

Chuck nodded in agreement. "You heard the kid, move it!"

While the others looked for some steady graves to tie the reindeer to, Chuck and Gregor inspected their surroundings.

"Okay, which way is Halloween?"

"Um..." Gregor paused. There seemed to be an entire sea of old, weathered moss-covered graves. The thorn-ridden grounds had not been tended to in decades. "I don't know." He admitted. "I've never been this far out before."

"You have to fudging kidding me. What are we supposed to do now?"

"Well..."

"Hey, the forest starts over there!" Caliber announced, pointing east from atop a massive krater vase."

"So that means Town's that way, right?" Chuck asked.

"Not necessarily. The graveyard is constantly expanding. Town could be in any direction."

"Don't worry, we know our way around the woods. We'll find Guillotine square in no time." Halberd assured him.

"No way, I'm not going near there!" Jason refused, backing away. "I'll take my chances in the graveyard."

"Uh, dildo, we can't walk right into town!" Alia shouted, smacking his hat off with her mask.

"Our parents will **kill** us if they find out we snuck back here!" Caliber added.

"Calm down!" Chuck begged. "You guys should have thought of all this before you dragged us out here."

"They're right though." Gregor agreed. "There's less of a chance of being seen in the woods."

"Are you _sure_ you know where you're going?"

The trio nodded and replied "Yup." in unison.

Chuck sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Fine, lead the way..."

The trio ran ahead, searching for a trail. The lack of sunshine made it difficult, but they scouted the area confidently. There were still a few graves scattered through the forest. They looked out of place and made the scenery even creepier, but at least they provided a way determine if they were walking in circles. Eventually the number of trees thinned out and more tombstones took their place in a barren clearing. The only vegetation growing amongst the graves were mushrooms.

The trio stopped at the edge of the trees. "What's up?" Chuck asked, looking around for any sign of danger.

"We should go around." Alia suggested.

"Why?" Paul asked, stepping out into the clearing. "At least here we can see where we're- AHHH!"

The toe of his curled boot brushed against a mushroom. Paul jumped back as the fungi began to scurry about, making an ear splitting shrieking noise. The others covered their ears as the other mushrooms scattered and screamed.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?" Jason shouted.

"SHRIEKERS!" Alia replied.

"THEY FREAK OUT IF YOU GET TOO CLOSE TO THEM!" Halberd added.

"HOW DO YOU MAKE THEM STOP?" Paul asked.

"YOU CAN'T" Halberd answered. "THEY KEEP GOING UNTIL THEY TAKE ROOT AGAIN."

Everyone attempted to run away, but the shriekers kept scurrying under their feet, tripping them. Suddenly another creature appeared from the other side of the clearing- A young green goblin with spiky white hair and a long rat-tail braid that draped over his shoulder. The others were too startled to notice his presence.

The goblin watched as the group of strangers frantically tiptoed around the mushrooms. Licking his black lips, he bent down, grabbed a mushroom, and popped it his mouth. The other mushrooms shrieked even louder, then scurried off into the woods.

"Not very good foragers, are we?" The goblin teased.

The others paused to catch their breath. Chuck outstretched his hand to the goblin. "We're just passing through. We didn't mean to disturb anything."

He shook, grinning. "Quite alright. I don't mind the noise. It makes the little buggers easier to find. The names Zteikleik, by the way." He gave Chuck a strange look, scratching his tiny horns in confusion. "Curious... It's not too often you see a live human around here, especially one that travels with elves."

"I'm Chuck, and these are my friends Paul and Jason. We're escorting these kids back to Halloween Town. You don't happen to know which direction it's in, do you?"

"Town is that way" Zteikleik pointed north. "But I would stay as far away from the residential areas as much as possible if I were you."

"Why?" Gregor asked.

"There's a bit of an upheaval, or so I've heard. There's talk of rebellion against the pumpkin King."

Gregor's stomach churned. Chuck put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know how bad things have gotten, but I'm keeping my distance just in case. I suggest you do the same. Halloween is dangerous for humans, whether there's a crises or not."

Chuck stood tall (or as tall as his five-foot six self could). "Don't worry about us. We can take care of ourselves. It's been a pleasure, Zteikleik, but we better going. Happy Halloween."

"Wait!" Zteikleik begged as they walked away.

They turned to face him. "What now?" Chuck asked.

"Its a few days hike to the Town entrance- much too dangerous for outsiders." The goblin warned. "At least let me guide you to the drow village where its safe. I won't step foot into town, but maybe a few of their archers would be willing risk it."

"Piss off!" Alia barked.

"We don't need you." Caliber added.

"We can find our own way." Halberd finished.

Zteikleik glared at the lumplings, then turned his attention to Chuck. "I know those three." He hissed. "They cause nothing but trouble."

The trio giggled, swelling with prankster pride. Chuck gave them each a swift backhand across the backs of their heads.

"If you honestly feel you'll have better luck following a bunch of rotten kids, suit yourself."

"Wait!" Chuck ordered as Zteikleik walked away.

He turned around, grinning. "Yes?"

"We don't have much time. If you know a quick way to the drow, we'd appreciate your help" Chuck scowled at the kids until they nodded in agreement. "I'm a part time archer where I live. The backup might come in handy when we finally get to town."

"Very well." Zteikleik saluted him. "This way, friends."

The lumplings followed him, but Jason and Paul stayed put. Paul latched onto Chuck's shoulder, pulled him aside, and whispered. "Bro, what the hell? Usually _I'm_ the one making all the stupid moves!"

"What? He's familiar with the area."

"Uh, yeah douche bag, but he's a _goblin_." Jason reminded him. "Since when do goblins help elves? He's not doing it for the sake of good will, that's for sure."

Chuck shrugged. "He seems cool enough and he's all we've got to go by for now, so we might as well trust him." With that, he walked off, refusing any further discussion.

Jason looked up at Paul. "I don't know...What do you think?"

Paul shrugged. "Well... We only have to put up with him until we reach the drow village."

"Yeah, I guess." Jason frowned, shoving his hands in his pocket. "Okay, let's move before they ditch us..."

Every head in Cadaver's Restaurant turned as Edgar walked into the room. He forced a smile. The other customers scowled back at him then returned to their meals.

"Welcome to Cadaver's, Mr. Skellington. I'm Trish. May I show you to your seat?" A wraith waitress asked.

"Wha-?" Edgar shook his head, forcing awareness back into him. "Oh- yes, please."

The waitress floated through the tables. The Long, flowing rags worn under her uniform veiled her face and limbs, al except for her white, translucent claws, which clung to a menu. "There you are, sir." She said, seating Edgar in a small table towards the far back. "What can I get for you?"

Edgar skimmed through the menu very quickly then replied, "I'll have... the roasted road kill special with a side of squash, boiled lizard tails, a cold mold platter- extra puss, no stinkweed, some of your mashed maggots, and... a quarter pound of jellied brains. Oh! And bring me a plate of fried bat wings with plaque and serpent yolk dip and some grub wedges for appetizers."

When the waitress finished scribbling down his order, she stared at him. "Are...you expecting someone to join you?"

Edgar mentally blushed. "No...I- I haven't eaten in a while."

"Oh. What would you like to drink?"

"Wine. I don't care which kind."

"Coming right up." The waitress floated off towards the kitchen.

Edgar reached into his Jacket and pulled out his CD player. He placed the headphones on and drowned all other noise out with 'Flight of Icarus'. Bruce's voice never failed to lift his spirits, although it was hard to concentrate on music when hunger overwhelmed his thoughts. Every ounce of food in Skellington Manor had gone to the sliths for the past four days or so.

Seven tracks later, a team of waitresses returned with his meal. "Thanks, girls." Edgar said, eye sockets fixed on his food.

He was about to shovel a big hunk of entrails in his mouth when a tape-recorder was shoved in his face. "Care to answer a few questions for the Evening Informer?"

Ned, aka 'corpse dad', accompanied by a team of cameraghouls (including the Cyclopes) circled Edgar, awaiting his response.

"_Shit! The paparazzi! Why me, God? WHY?_" Edgar cursed inwardly. "Dude...I'm a little busy. Could this wait until I'm-?"

"Nightmare rank is estimated to drop sixty percent this Halloween. Do you agree with this prediction?"

"No" Edgar hissed. "I assure you, Halloween will go on as scheduled with no drop in Nightmare Rank." He attempted to take a bite when another corpse jumped in front.

"Even with your approval ratings so low? Many are saying they refuse to scare under your command. Were you aware of this?"

"If the 'many' you speak of is the teenaged crowd, I'm not shaking quite yet. Kids never like to scare for the frightful. Hell, I know what its like to be young and rebellious. I went on strike myself once when I was fifteen. I snapped out of it in a few months."

"Your rival, the 'Poltergeist of Rock', has openly challenged your integrity and skill as Pumpkin King." Corpse dad added. "Any comments?"

Edgar scowled. "Whoa, whoa, WHOA! That bastard is NOT my freaking rival! I can outscare him seven ways to Hell and back! And yes, I'm willing to put that statement to the test, if you're wondering. Print that statement in bold, if you please."

"If you cannot maintain your own Nightmare Rank against this newcomer, the citizens of Halloween may abandon all respect for you and you may be forced to resign. Are you prepared to risk it?"

"There's no risk at all. I'm not the perfect gentlemen my father was, but dammit, fear is my essence! It's been my one true calling since childhood and I only have room for _improvement_."

"Eight warlocks were killed during a cave in. What can you tell us about that?"

"A full investigation is in progress. Mayor Shock is tending to the victims and their families." He frowned, looking regretfully at his lap. "No further comment."

"The rumors of Oogie Boogie's resurrection- Are they true?"

Edgar paused. "I can't confirm anything at this moment in time. Now, if you would kindly _**fuck off**_, my food is getting cold."

Edgar made one last attempt to eat, but the cameraghouls began to snap photos. The flashes blinded him. "Ah! QUIT IT!" Edgar ordered, covering his eyes.

"Mr. Skellington!- One more Question!- Just a Second!- Right to know!"

They swarmed Edgar, speaking too quickly all at once. Soon their voices became a chorus of irritating mumbles and buzzes. Edgar stared at them, wide-eyed and frightened. They wouldn't shut up! They just kept getting closer.

Finally, something inside the young skeleton snapped. "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" He shouted, punching the closest camera to him.

"My eye!" The Cyclops shouted, prying the camera lodged in his face out. "He poked out my eye!"

"We saw it! We're witnesses!" A female warerat seated at the adjacent table cried.

Edgar sunk low in his chair as the chaotic scene unfolded before him. The reporters started an interrogation frenzy. Notebooks and tape-recorders flew everywhere. They shouted accusing remarks, not letting Edgar get a word in edgewise in his defense.

"_Well..._" He thought, swallowing a lump in his throat. "_At least if they're here, badgering me, they're not bothering Shock..._"

In Dr. Finkelstein's 'back yard', Jack sat beside Trivett, tossing his spare rib for Zero to fetch. The ghost dog searched throughout the mounds of junk and miles of pipelines for the rib, having little success in retrieving it. Trivett laughed. "He's losing his touch."

"There's too many strange scents out here." Jack explained. "Zero will sniff his way out eventually." He looked the young skeleton, impressed by the progress of his recovery. "You look alright. Feeling any better?"

"Not until I get out of here." Trivett grumbled. "That doctor is a freak! He hits me with a stick if I pronounce his name wrong! He calls me twit and dumbass all the time! He messes around with all this freaky shit, like that collection of mutated lizard he's got! There's only **one** TV in this place and he only plays gory footage of autopsies on it! Jewel's creepy and Igor's a dick! Ugly creep keeps getting me lost then popping out at me through wires and shit! All anyone ever does around here is fuck wit' me! No wonder Ed's completely screwed up in da head! I gotta get out of here, Jack!"

Jack smiled and patted him on the back. "I know Dr. Finkelstein seems odd, but he's a truly brilliant man- years ahead of his time. Spending a few days here might be an enriching experience for you."

"Yeah, whatever..." Trivett held his head and groaned. "Dammit! The meds are wearing off. I fell like a truck hit me."

Jack helped him to his feet. "Go inside and rest. Have the doctor give you a fresh dosage." He ordered, pushing Trivett towards the exit.

Trivett gritted his teeth. "Great, six more hours of confusion and drooling on myself. I knew I should've fucking ran while I had the chance..."

" He griped before disappearing inside.

"Get well soon, Trivett." Jack turned to the yard and tapped his thighbone. "ZERO!" He called. "Here, boy! Its time to go!"

Barking could be heard in the distance. Moments later, Zero came floating up to Jack with his rib in his mouth.

"Good boy" Jack commended his companion, popping his rib back in place. "I knew you could do it. Come on. Let's go home." He sighed, clasping his hands behind his back as he walked along the electric fences.

Zero flew yards ahead, weaving around lamppost, benches, and jack-o-lanterns. Suddenly, he stopped. Zero's curled ghostly tail end beneath him, whimpering.

Jack rushed over to his beloved pet's side. "What's wrong boy?" He asked, staring into the shadows of an alleyway.

A strange, potent odor filled the air. It smelled more rancid than even the most filthy sewer or putrid compost heap in Halloween. It was the smell of swarming insects crammed together in a tight space.

A pair of glowing eyes appeared from the shadows.

"No..." Jack backed away. "Oog-"

That was the last thing Jack saw before the rest of his world went dark.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Beware of Shadows

"Dude, how many fucking cigarette breaks are you going to take?" Barrel snapped at Lock who leaned idly against a rickety bungalow watching his brother lug a crate of rotting produce around.

"Hey screw you!" Lock sneered back, flicking the butt aside. "You're lucky I showed up at all. It's no skin off my ass that the catacombs caved in."

"We're not much better off than the warlocks." Thicket reminded him, dragging him over to the work area by his ear.

"OW! OW! OW! OW! Let go!" Lock begged. He glared at his wife as she hesitantly released him.

"Hey, at least you and Shock still have incomes coming in and a place to crash. I'm totally screwed!"

Barrel snorted. "Business around the pumpkin patch has grinded to a freaking halt. Hester's folks are clinging to their land for dear death." He corrected him. "We're _all_ screwed."

Lock pouted. "Give me one good reason why we should help any of these people? They banned us from their community **years** ago and they have the balls to ask us for a hand? **Fuck** them!"

Thicket sighed. "Despite that, they're still our brethren and we have to do what we can to pitch in. Besides, we're not doing it for the community's sake; we're doing it for Shock's sake."

"Alright...pain in my ass..." Lock gritted his jagged teeth and attempted to lift a crate. "Why am I the only freaking warlock out here?" He gripped. "Where are the other wand jockeys?"

"Reuniting with their families, I guess." Thicket replied with a clothespin in her mouth. She paused to hang a clean cloak to dry. "The rest are having a meeting around the public caldron."

Barrel swiped a moldy tomato from a crate and took a big bite out of it. "What for?"

"They're anointing new elders." Lock answered. He chuckled as his blue lips formed a lopsided grin. "Thannen and all those other geezers are dead. The survivors aren't even in their forties. Some Council of Wisdom that'll be, hu?"

"That's not funny." Thicket hissed.

"Look, I'm not going to shed a tear for that prick Thannen! He was an asshole! He was the whole reason why our dad took off."

"Dad took off because he was worthless cocksucker." Barrel corrected him.

"True and I hope he died a horribly painful death too."

Barrel shook his head. "I'm taking five." He announced wearily as he sat on the edge of a broken stone drinking fountain shaped like a warthog's jowls.

Barrel wasn't his usual spunky self. Over the past week, he had lost a significant amount of weight, leaving his clothes to hang loosely on his frame. Frayed edges, new holes, and stains had developed on his skeletal shirt and jeans. His black skeletal work gloves were missing fingers as well. His long green hair had faded to a jade green and became stringy. Life had sucked the spirit right out of the former hulking oaf.

"This is bullshit!" Barrel spat out of the blue. "We let him take everything! The tree house! The casino! The kids! We might as well lob off our **nads** and hand them over too!"

"We're no better off now than when we were his henchmen!" Lock added, grimacing with self-disgust.

"Well, what were we supposed to do?" Thicket asked. "He overpowered us."

"We were _supposed_ to defend ourselves! But we didn't- we rolled over like dogs..." Lock kicked Thicket's laundry basket across the street. "We used to be most devious pranksters in Halloween Town! We never let anyone push us around!"

"Except Oogie..." Barrel stood, cracking his knuckles. "The more I think about the more pissed I get. We don't have to take this shit lying down! We can fight back!"

"NO!"

Barrel and the others turned around to find Shock standing before them, crossing her arms across her chest. "We can't take Oogie ourselves." She stated firmly.

Lock glared at her. "Look, _mayor_, in case you haven't noticed, no one is on our side! If Oogie's going down, _we_ have to make it happen!"

Shock smirked. "No shit." She agreed. "But we have to do it right. I'm not letting you knuckleheads run headfirst into a disaster. We're _going_ to beat Oogie and we're going to do it by _outwitting_ him."

Her brothers grinned fiendishly as they threw metal salutes in the air. "WOO!" They cried aloud in unison, giving Shock a slap on the back.

"We knew you didn't go completely yuppie on us!" Barrel cried.

"Shut up morons!" She hissed. "We can't let anyone else find out about this. Hatchet already agreed to keep the witches and warlocks occupied at the caldron. So far, he has their attention, but he can't hold out forever. We better sneak over to the tree house while everyone's bickering."

Her brothers nodded in agreement. "Right."

"If you three are going so am I." Thicket decaled boldly.

Shock placed a hand on her shoulder. "No. You help Hatchet keep the community occupied. It's going to get ugly, but you can handle it. The eldest witches will be more willing to listen to you anyways."

Thicket paused to consider the challenge. Her thoughts cluttered with dread and worry, but she ignored them all and replied. "I'll try."

"Do whatever it takes. Say whatever they want to hear. Hell, flash your tits if you have to! Just make sure no one realizes I've abandoned my post. Oh and if Ed comes looking for me, **don't** tell him what we're up to."

The trio turned to sneak away. "Wait!" Thicket called to them. "What's your plan?"

They exchanged glances. "Uh... we don't have one just yet." Shock admitted.

"But when we do think of one-" Barrel added.

"It'll be fucking _heinous_!" Lock finished with a deep sneer.

They took off as swiftly as they could. Thicket resumed her community service, whispering a prayer for their protection.

Edgar crept along the front gate to Skellington Manor like a ninja. His hair was a mess and his suit disheveled. He was inching his way towards the cast iron entranceway when he accidentally brushed up against someone.

"AH! NO MORE QUESTIONS!" He cried, jumping backwards.

"Relax" Dusk said calmly, holding baby Rage and Ire up to emphasize her peaceful intentions.

Edgar sighed with relief. "Sorry about that. I'm on edge right now."

She winced at him. "What happened to you?"

"Oh, trust me, you'll read all about tonight." Edgar looked up. The sun was beginning to sink. "Any sign of Kirk?" He asked.

"No." She replied. "I haven't seen any of your sliths since this morning."

Edgar frowned. "Shit! They said they'd be back by now!"

"You have bigger problems." Dusk informed him. "I stopped by your parents' house this morning to ask Sally if she could watch the kids while I did some investigating across town and..." She trailed off. Her fluffy red tail twitched.

"_And_...?"

"Sally's missing and so is Jack. I asked around the cemetery, the pumpkin patch _and_ Guillotine Square and no one has heard from them in hours."

Edgar's expression went blank. He made no sound or move before he burst out, screaming, "THEY'RE GONE! OOGIE'S GOT THEM! FUCKMEFUCKMEFUCKMEFUCKMEFUCKMEFUCKMEFUCKME!"

His cries (accompanied with quick pacing and spastic arm flailing) startled the twins and they began to cry. "Knock it off!" Dusk begged, trying to rock the twins silent again in her arms. "Don't panic just yet."

"No way, dude! I'm panicking! This situation calls for panicking! Oh butt-fucking twat probing jerk-offing son of a bitch will I panic! What am I going to do, Dusk? I'm _so_ **fucked**! What am I going to-?"

Dusk slapped him across the face. Edgar felt his cheekbone. She had left scratches in his enamel. "Have a hold of yourself?" She asked slowly.

Edgar nodded, taking in a deep breath. "Yes...I-I think I'm okay...Thanks"

"No problem."

Edgar leaned against the gate, holding his head. "I have to get them out of there before-"

He was cut off by the sound of Bill crash-landing against the ground. "Hi, Ed." It greeted its master warmly.

Edgar stared up at Bill. It was now almost a foot taller than him. "Bill, where are the others?"

"Following the shadow." It replied.

"What shadow?"

"Well, _shadows_" Bill corrected itself. "They were dragging the other skeleton and the pretty one through the forest."

Edgar and Dusk exchanged worried glances. "They're heading for the casino." She assumed.

"Bill, take me to the shadows, now!" Edgar ordered.

"No!" Dusk protested, holding Edgar back. "Don't you get it? It's a trap! They _want _you to follow them."

"Crap, maybe you're right..." He paused to reconsider. "Okay, new plan! Leave the twins with Bill. Go set off the cat siren and tell everyone to meet me for an emergency meeting at Town Hall. I'll rally up a rescue team and we'll storm Oogie's lair." He instructed. "Bill, are the others still on the shadows' trail?"

"The last I knew, yes."

Edgar sighed deeply. "Hopefully, they can find a way to keep mom and dad out of the casino." He stood erect, pointing into the distance. "Quick! We don't have much time!"

Dusk watched as Edgar dashed up the street. She could hear Bill's heavy breathing overhead. She stared up at the slith questionably. The first thing a demon was taught at infancy was _not_ to trust other demons and Bill's hulking size and carnivorous skull made him seem like the most untrustworthy demon in town.

Bill reached out and gently took the twins from her hands. It looked to her warmly. "I'll watch them." It offered, resting their tiny heads against his chest. The twins giggled as they poked and prodded at his cushiony rotting flesh. "You help Ed."

Dusk smiled and replied "Thanks." Before racing off to the skeleton's aid once again.

"No way, bro. It's not fudging happening!"

"You shall not pass unless you agree to Savon's conditions." Two night elf guards pointed their spears at Chuck's chest, preventing him from venturing into their territory. Paul, Jason and the kids had been permitted to enter twenty minutes ago. While Chuck argued with the guards, Paul and Jason enjoyed a cold bath and a freshly rolled blunt with a group of young drow women. The girls marveled at their foreign features. Taller ones stroked Paul's shaggy blue hair and begged him to freeze insects that buzzed by while shorter ones caressed the deep disfiguring scar that read 'SLAYER' across Jason's pale chest. They were having the time of their lives. Their shameless flirting was enough to make Chuck vomit.

"You have to give up your weapon." Zteikleik insisted. "They won't allow you inside armed." The goblin winced. "Do it **now** before they _impale_ us!"

Chuck growled under his breath. "Here!" He snapped, placing his pistol on the ground. "Happy?"

The night elves smiled with approval and withdrew their spears. "Welcome you two."

"Yeah, yeah, blow it out your ass..." Chuck hissed, shoving the guard aside.

Zteikleik followed close behind. "Where are you going?" He asked anxiously, looking about in all directions.

"To find 'Savon'." He answered. "You can go home if you want."

"No, no. I don't want to leave you here alone." The goblin swallowed a lump in his throat before scurrying forward. Drow territory is much different from his chasm homes near the valley of the living hills ten miles south. The night elves lived deep in the forest, near the hinterlands where the ancient gnarled trees had been woven into arches that formed massive basilica-like structures from the gnarled interlocking branches.

The labyrinth of trees blocked out all natural light. Fireflies stored in glass jugs provided just enough light to walk without tripping. Chuck and Zteikleik wondered deeper and deeper into the tree tunnels. Zteikleik shoved his way in front. He sniffed the air, gagging in his throat. The smell of incense drifted overhead. "I know my way from here." He assured Chuck. "The meditation wing is this way."

A short while later, the tunnel widened out to form an octagonal room. Gregor and the trio sat in the center, enjoying the lunch of grub and cattail salad Stial had provided for them. Against the wall, an old elf sat cross-legged on a platform made from alligator skin and various animal bones. Ornamental medieval weaponry incrusted with silver and jewels festooned on the wall around him. "Who do we have here?" He asked, pointed ears perking.

Zteikleik bowed politely. "Good afternoon High Cleric, Savon. This human wishes to speak to you."

Savon's silver hair swayed past his cheeks as he nodded. "Don't just stand there, young man. Come in."

Chuck entered cautiously; resisting the urge to reach into his pocket for his dagger, (he wasn't stupid enough to just bring a gun).

"Hey Chuck" Alia greeted him.

"What took you so long?" Caliber asked.

"Did you write a book or something out there?" Halberd added, snickering.

"Guys!" Gregor scolded them.

Chuck smiled at them, but his smile faded as he approached the cleric. "This is a nice set up you have here." He said for a lack of a better icebreaker.

"My clan has lived comfortably here for many generations- _undisturbed_." Savon taped his unmanicured fingers against his knee. "You are the youngest of the Cringle clan and you travel with the youngest son of the Frosti clan, correct?"

"That's us." He confirmed.

Savon grinned. "The Cringles are a credit to your race."

Chuck raised a brow. "...Thank you."

"Jokul has always been a bit of an oddball if you ask me. A decent fellow, just...neurotic I suppose. Do tell him I said hello."

"No problem." Chuck shifted uncomfortably. He had enough of being stared at for one day. "Um, I know you're probably busy and you have a lot of important matters to attend to, but my friends and I need help-"

Savon leaned forward to grab Chuck's face. He dug his black nails into his cheeks, tilting his head from side to side, inspecting his features carefully. "It's been centuries since I've seen an actual human. You're not quite as ugly as some other one's I've seen. Not nearly as ugly. Wouldn't you agree, Stial?"

Stial's cheeks blushed a bluish purple. "Yes daddy."

The trio and Zteikleik snickered. "Shut Up!" Chuck hissed as clearly as he could with his face scrunched in Savon's clutch.

"Golden hair..." The old elf breathed. "Such thick golden hair. It even grows from your chin. I've always wondered why such a blessing is wasted on your kind."

Chuck scowled. "Humans hate to be touched." He informed Savon coldly.

"Daddy, let him go!" Stial begged in a timid voice.

Finally, Savon released Chuck. "So sorry." He slouched, staring apologetically into his lap. "You were saying?"

"We need to find our way to Halloween Town as soon as possible. Would you or any of your men be willing to show us the way?"

"Our holiday is not doing too well, I'm afraid." He replied, shaking his head. "Such a shame. I was so tempted to allow us join the frightful."

"It can be salvaged!" Gregor spoke up with an unexpected boost of confidence. He soon lost it after realizing everyone was staring at him. "We- we're going to bring everything back to normal. Then you can join us."

"My boy, when society begins to breakdown, there's very little you can do to restore it. You have to let things run their natural course-"

"All we want are directions." Chuck interrupted for Gregor's sake. "And your permission to rest here for the night."

"Permission already granted, young Cringle. You and your companions are welcome to partake of all my village has to offer, _but_ my little Stial." Savon smirked. "As for directions, I would be happy to escort you to our militia's base and draw up a few maps for you. In the meantime, the lumplings will remain here under Stial's care."

Chuck nodded in agreement. "Cool." He looked to the kids. "Stay put until I get back." He ordered. "Cause any trouble and I'll rip your legs off."

Gregor and the others watched as Savon led Chuck and Zteikleik down the corridor. Once they were convinced the adults were out of earshot, the children formed a huddle.

Alia shuddered. "What a freak."

"Who, the elf, or the goblin?" Asked Halberd.

"There's something odd about both of them." Gregor replied. "They're hiding something."

"What?" Asked Caliber.

"I don't know...something important. I mean, drow have never been _this_ hospitable to us."

"Oh yeah, now your sixth sense is kicking in!" Alia sneered. "You fucking dildo!"

"Sixth sense nothing. He's being realistic for once." Caliber teased.

"I'm serious!" Gregor insisted. We have to get Chuck and the others out of here now!"

"They're adults. They can take care of themselves."

"Yeah, but-"

"She's right." Halberd interjected. "We're better off making a run for it alone."

"When?"

The kids jumped. They didn't realize Stial had been hovering over them the whole time. She cocked her head in confusion. "Elves have excellent hearing, you know. It's useless to whisper."

Alia scowled at her. "Mind your own business, lady. We're on a mission."

Stial ignored her and looked to Gregor. "You-" She said, pointing. "My dear Trivett works for your father."

"Yeah... So?"

"I received a message yesterday that he's recuperating at the mad scientist observatory, but daddy refuses to let me go back to Halloween and visit him." She frowned. Her big red eyes became watery. "I miss him so much. I'm worried about him."

"Oh crap" Gregor wore a concerned expression. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything about it. We've been out of town for a while."

"That's alright." She sniffed, fidgeting with the hem of her tattered black dress. "You can help me some other way though. If you let me sneak away with you tonight, I can show you a shortcut back to town."

Alia rolled her eyes at her cousins hung on Stial's every word (or rather how those words managed to jiggle her tits just a little as she spoke them). "We're kids, but we're not stupid. We don't need to hold your hands all the way home."

"You'll never make it past the watchelves without me." Stial insisted. "Please trust me. I have to make sure my dear Trivett is well."

"Fine, whatever, you can come too!" Gregor motioned for her to keep her voice down. "Lead the way out and I'll take you to Trivett."

Stial smiled and gave the kids a bear hug. "Thank you!"

They squirmed, especially Halberd and Caliber (who would have been happy to be crammed up against her chest had she not been wearing a ridiculous amount of sharp onyx jewelry). "Stial..." Gregor managed to say while being constricted. "Ghouls don't like to be touched either..."

a/n: Yay! Things are moving a little more quickly now! Hopefully This fic will be finished within another four chapters or so. Thanks you for reading and a special thanks to DuskKitsune88, creator and owner of the character Dusk, for letting me use her to make this story just a wee bit more bearable to read.

Traditionally night elves live underground, I know, but it was more convenient plot wise to give them tree dwellings for the fic. Jokul Frosti is just another name for Jack Frost, in case that threw anybody. Oogie, Gore and their next evil move is coming up. Thanks again for reading and please **review**. Rock on, guys.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Double Crossed

Jack stumbled. His hands had been tied behind his back, making it impossible to catch his balance. The black widows laughed at their once proud pumpkin king, kicking him forward. One of them smacked him across the back of his skull with his own jawbone (that Oogie ordered to be removed to prevent Jack from calling for help).

"Enough girls!" Oogie scolded them as he shoved through the crowd. "We're in a hurry!"

Jack glared up at him. He wanted to rip Oogie's snake tongue out and strangle him with it, but all he could do was groan incoherently. Oogie looked down on him, snickering. "Aw, what's the matter? Tired already?"

He yanked Jack to his feet and threw him in the hands of two widows. "Look how far you've fallen, bone man-" He said, shaking his head. "You're pretty tough for an old bag of bones." He looked Jack over with a condescending sneer. "But you're still just an old bag of bones. It hardly seems worth the trouble to snuff you now. It might actually be _crueler_ just to let you carry out the rest of your wretched days as crypt keeper." He shrugged. "Oh well. I like to finish what I start."

Jack lashed out at Oogie, but the widows restrained him. Oogie pulled one of them aside and whispered, "I think boneman's starting to come to. Maybe a little kiss will make him easier to manage."

She nodded then strutted towards Jack. His eye sockets widened as the widow smile at him, exposing two dripping fangs. He struggled, but she forced him in her embrace and sunk her fangs into his cheekbone. She released him once her glands ran dry, making smacking noises with her lips. "Such a good kisser." She teased.

The venom soaked into his marrow. Within seconds, his captor's obnoxious giggling became distorted. Jack could feel his head spinning and his legs about to buckle. Another blackout seemed imminent, but he was shook into semi-consciousness and forced to keep walking.

"Faster!" Oogie barked. "Keep ALL hands on him!" He glanced up at the sky. He could have sworn he saw a flash of something above the gnarled forest growth. He dismissed it for a trick of his own imagination and marched forward. "Move!" He snapped at his spiders. The sooner we get to my casino, the sooner we can make ol' Jack feel at home..."

"What time is it?" Chuck wondered aloud. He walked down the dimly lit hallway, struggling to read the map Savon's archers had given him at their firing range.

"It's sunset now." Zteikleik answered, brushing his fingertips against the bark. "You develop an inner clock in these parts after a while."

"It feels so much later..." Chuck folded the map and stuck it in his back pocket. He yawned. "Man, the archers around here are wound to tight. Everyone around here is wound too tight. I'm not used to elves who don't party."

Zteikleik laughed and reached into his makeshift vest for a small canteen. "Don't let them get you down. Here-" He offered Chuck the canteen. "I'll teach you to party as we goblins do."

Chuck shrugged before taking a swig. He swallowed harshly, coughing. "Holy shit..." He choked, pounding his burning chest. "That's strong whisky, bro."

Zteikleik beamed with pride. "That's a Bog clan recipe."

Chuck took another swig. "I'll have to bring some of this home for Joal." He handed the canteen back. "Here, before I chug it all on you."

"You have good taste." Zteikleik took a swig himself. "Should I expect as much from your friends?"

"I don't know. Let me track their dumbasses down and we'll find out." A pungent odor caught Chuck's attention. He followed the smell down a long winding tunnel, until he spotted Paul and Jason lounging on some stump chairs. They passed a ridiculously large blunt back and forth, coughing as they inhaled and exhaled.

"Hey assbags!" Chuck greeted them in a sneering tone. "Thanks for running off while I jawed with the guards for two fudging hours!"

"Hey man..." Paul choked as he spoke. "You have to try this drow weed! It's _really_ good shit!" He passed the blunt along, blowing smoke towards Zteikleik.

Zteikleik held his nose and gave Paul a nasty glare.

"Cut it out!" He scolded them before taking a long drag. "You two are completely useless, you know that? We're on a fudging mission, and all you do is run off to score pot! What is **wrong** with you idiots?"

"It's not our fault the night elves accept us as brethren." Jason teased, leaning back comfortably.

"Besides, you have your new _goblin_ friend to order around." Paul added, sneering.

"At least he's helpful to some degree. You're nothing but dead weight!"

"Pry the humbug from your ass, would you!" Jason laughed and slapped Paul a high-five.

"That's it! We're finding the kids and you two are going back ho-"

Chuck was cut off by the sound of pattering feet. He jumped around the corner to find Gregor and the others sneaking down the adjacent corridor. They skidded to a halt before bumping into him.

"What are you doing?" He asked, folding his arms across his chest.

Gregor stiffened. "Uh...we were..."

"Playing!" Alia cut in.

"With Stial!" Caliber added, pointing the she she-drow behind him.

"Okay...What game?"

"Uh- flashlight tag!" Halberd answered.

"You don't _have_ flashlights."

"No shit" Alia sneered. "Stial was taking us outside to catch fireflies so we could _make_ the flashlights. You really don't know much Halloween do you?"

Chuck frowned and led the lumplings over to his friends. "Hey guys, they say they're going outside for a game of flashlight tag. Do you think they're bullshitting us?"

Paul and Jason exchanged glances. Paul laughed. "Yeah, they're bullshitting you, bro. You can tell by their eyes."

"Oh no! They looked so bored, so I wanted to take them out to burn some energy before bed." Stial fibbed.

"You have to be careful with these guys. They're tricksters." Chuck looked to Gregor, the worst liar of the group. One small flinch or wince would give everything away.

Gregor couldn't take the accusing stare. His shoulders hunched and his lips quivered.

"Ah ha!" Chuck slapped Gregor on the back. "You really thought you could fool a Claus? You have to catch me on a night when I'm _really_ fucked up before you can ditch me."

The trio glared at Gregor "You suck!" Alia shouted, kicking him in the shins.

"You gave us away!" Halberd added, giving a swift kick of his own.

"Let us go ahead, Chuck." Gregor begged. "Something horrible is about to happen, I know it!"

Chuck sighed. "Look, I know you're worried. I'm worried too. That's why I agreed to let you drag me all the way out here, but you can't run off on your own."

"But-"

"I'm getting some really bad vibes from this place myself-"

"Exactly!" Gregor interrupted. "So let's leave now before-"

"Chill out! We're going to leave. But only I'm going to Halloween. Jason and Paul are going to bring you back to the graveyard to fly you back to Christmas Town."

"WHAT?" The lumplings cried.

"You can't!" Alia whined.

"We came so far!" Gregor protested.

"Who put you in charge anyways?" Halberd hissed.

"You did, dumb ass! Don't argue guys. It's not safe here and I promised I would send you home in one piece and I would like to keep my promise before we push our luck too far!"

The kids moaned. Gregor planted his feet firmly on the ground. "You can't make us go back. We know you mean well, but you don't get it. This is _our_ town and _our_ fight and we won't retreat until there's nothing left to defend."

"Please, just do what I tell you for once! This is for your own good." Chuck reached out to grab Gregor's arm, but Caliber jumped in between them, reached into his robes and tossed a tiny pouch against the ground.

A cloud of toxic smoke exploded on impact, blinding and suffocating everyone but the lumplings and Stial. "RUN FOR IT!" Caliber shouted, shooing the others along.

"We're sorry!" Gregor shouted as he trailed his friends.

Stial ran like lighting through the labyrinth, taking only the tunnels she knew would be vacant at this hour.

"Nice move" Alia commended Caliber, panting.

"Thanks. I packed it before we left just in case."

"No, _not_ a nice move!" Guilt hung over Gregor's head like a hungry buzzard. "Chuck's going to mangle us if he catches us!"

Halberd sprinted his way to the front. "Yeah, '_if'_!"

"There's the exit!" Stial pointed towards a massive archway. They could see the silhouettes of the undisturbed trees outside. She stopped just outside the exit and dropped to the ground. The lumplings did the same. "Crawl towards the bushes." She instructed. "We should be able to sneak past the guards. Try not to make a sound..."

"Those little bastards!" Paul was the first to climb to his feet. He, like the others, clutched his throat and hacked violently. "They duped us!"

"How long were they hiding that shit?" Jason asked, rubbing the tears from his burning eyes.

"I don't know...I didn't think to search them!" Chuck punched the walls in frustration. "Son of a bitch! I'm so dead!"

"I told you they were trouble!" Zteikleik pulled himself to his feet.

Chuck scowled. "It doesn't matter, we have to catch them!"

"Not so fast!" Zteikleik hissed, snatching Chuck by the arm.

He jerked it free. "What the hell is your problem?"

"Piss off, would you?" Paul snapped, shoving the goblin back. "Can't you see we have a situation here?"

Zteikleik grinned obnoxiously. "You boys have no idea." He raised his fist in the air and slammed it against the ground. The vibrations triggered something in the walls. Small barbs flew exploded at them from nowhere. Zteikleik remained unharmed, but Chuck and his friends bled profusely from each pinprick. They cried out in pain, struggling to dig the barbs out, only to rip bits of their flesh with them.

"What the hell is this?" Chuck shouted. He tried to step forward, but his limbs felt numb.

"Just let them soak in." Zteikleik replied softly. "It'll be easier on you."

"They're poisoned!" Paul whimpered, staring at his bloodied hands with blurred vision.

Chuck balled his fist, staring daggers at the goblin. "I'll KILL you for this!"

"I don't think so!" Savon stepped out of the shadows, wearing a smug smirk.

"High Cleric-" Chuck addressed the elf as coherently as he could in his weakened state. "The kids ran off. Tell one of your archers to bring them back!"

"I'm afraid the children will just have to fend for themselves."

Chuck glared at Savon as he waltzed up to him, followed by priestesses who threw crushed Hen Bane at his feet. He and Zteikleik stood beside each other, grinning from ear to ear. "Young Cringle, I don't know exactly what you and your little friends planned to accomplish by gallivanting through the hinterlands, but I know someone who will pay generously to find out."

"You son of a bitch!"

"Temper, temper, Cringle. Shouting will get you nowhere with elves."

"You should be **ashamed** to call yourselves elves!" Jason spay.

"Traitors!" Paul cried. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because, I never liked humans or elves who allow themselves to be exploited by them."

"At least there's dignity in working with humans! How could you stoop so low as to trade spells with goblins?"

"Shut up, blueballs!" Zteikleik snapped in the blizzard elf's ear. "We don't have to listen to this, do we High Cleric?"

Savon yawned. "We're wasting moonlight. If you'll excuse me-" He turned away, motioning for Zteikleik and his priestesses to clean up the 'mess'.

Chuck snapped. With one last burst of energy he lunged out at Savon with a snarl. He managed to get one good punch at Savon's gut before the barb's poison took full effect. He passed out at Savon's feet. His friends tried to help him up, but they blacked out before they could reach him.

Stial kept a close eye on the lumplings, not an easy task considering how often they scurried ahead. Gregor stayed by her side for the most part. Every so often, he found himself drifting away from the group. Not intentionally of course. He just kept hearing something that sounded like the 'Who's There?' wind, but it had a feminine lilt to it.

"Little creeps!" Stial called out. "Where are you?"

"WOAH!" Alia cried in the distance. "Check this out, quick!"

They followed her voice until they caught up with her on a dirt road. "What is it?" Gregor asked.

"Look!"

They followed the direction of her finger down the path. Alia and her cousins bounced up and down with glee as they spotted the old bathtub trotting into view through the fog. It was rusted. It had about twenty different band logos and anti Pumpkin King messages graffitied on it. It was cracked down the side and limping, but it was definitely the tub.

"YAY!" The trio cheered as they hopped inside of it.

"Oh, we've missed you girl" Halberd cooed, petting the brim.

"How did it wonder all the way out here?" Gregor asked, inspecting the obnoxious graffiti.

"Oogie's new goons must have abandoned it." Alia explained.

"Poor girl..." Caliber whispered softly.

Stial scratched behind her ears. "What is that old thing?"

"This is our ride." Caliber answered, grinning.

"Our parents gave it to us." Halberd explained.

"Now we can get to town in half the time!" Alia threw a metal salute in the air. "Greg, we're separating, okay? You take Princess here to your grandpas and figure out your plan of action from there. The boys and I are heading for the tree house."

"Are you sure?"

"Don't worry, we'll be fine. It'll be harder for Chuck to find us if we split up."

"Okay, but watch out."

"YE-YEAH!" Halberd shouted, slapping the tub's rear end. It bucked widely before trotting down the path. The trio cackled with triumphant insanity.

"Good luck!"

Stial fidgeted uncomfortably. "I'm scared." She admitted. "Daddy's not going to be happy when he finds out I left with you."

"You want to turn back?"

Stial frowned. "No."

"Then don't bother worrying about that now."

They traveled down the opposite direction of the road for a solid half hour. The moon climbed higher in the sky. The path seemed to follow the moon's orbit. It was comforting to Stial, but disturbed Gregor just a bit.

He stopped abruptly. Stial nudged him. "What's the matter? Is there a scout in the trees?"

"No" Gregor shook his head. "I smell...smoke! Don't you smell it?"

"No...HEY!"

Gregor quickened his pace to a jog. He _could_ smell smoke, but he couldn't see any flames! How can someone smell smoke when there are no flames? His nose lead him off the path and into another (thankfully shrieker free) clearing. There he found a huge cloud of smoke, drifting low to the ground and around the trees with the fog.

Gregor backed away. "Am I hallucinating?" He asked inwardly as he backed away. "Where does this keep coming from?"

The black smoke began to take shape. A puff solidified to form a human-like figure. Gregor squinted, attempting to make out any distinguishing facial or bodily features, but he could not. The cloud waved to Gregor then broke apart into thin wisps then blew away.

"WAIT!" Gregor chased after the cloud, begging for it to stop and answer him, whatever it was.

"Come back!" Stial called after Gregor. She struggled to keep up with him for almost three miles. Eventually she caught up and allowed him to lead. Whatever it was he was chasing, it seemed to be leading them in the right direction. Before long, they had reached the main cemetery. By the time Gregor lost the smoke's trail completely, they were right in his back yard.

"My God..." Gregor shook his head in disbelief.

"Accursed Frey!" Stial covered her mouth, shocked.

The house stood in ruin. The south wall had been completely ripped off.

Gregor peered inside. "It's empty." He started to trembled with fear. "Where's my mom and dad?"

"I don't know." Stial pulled him away from the awful sight. "But they can't be too far."

"I knew something was wrong! Where's Edgar? Does he know about this? W-what if someone did this to the Manor too?"

Stial shook her head. "Maybe daddy was right. Maybe Halloween Town is breaking apart."

"No!" Gregor jerked away. "Come on!" He ordered, pulling Stial by the hand. "We have to get to my grandpa's lab!"

Lock, Shock and Barrel spied on their tree house from atop a small hill. Gore and a bunch of his followers (consisting of teenaged ghouls, goblins and a few male widows) partied inside. They blared 'Gambling with the Devil' from the trio's speaker system, drinking heavily and moshing with one another.

"Aw man..." Shock groaned.

"Let me see!" Lock snatched the pair of binoculars they had 'borrowed' from Edgar right off her face. "Sons of bitches!" He hissed after taking a good look through one of windows. "That's _my_ stereo!"

"That's _my_ beer!" Barrel cried, peeking himself.

"That's _my_ BRA!" Shock shrieked.

Lock slammed his fist on the ground. "They're destroying our shit!"

"Technically, we destroy our shit too." Barrel reminded him.

Lock slapped him. "Yeah, but it's OUR shit to destroy, not theirs!"

Shock tried to peer down in the casino. "No sign of Oogie from what I can see. His lair is empty. No lights on, no torture devices running, no nothing."

"Maybe one of us can sneak over there and find out what they're up to." Barrel suggested.

Shock shook her head. "Let's not risk it." She reached under her skirt, pulled a small vial from her garter belt, and handed it to Lock. "You remember any good caldron spells?"

"No!" He hissed. "It doesn't matter! My caldron's inside the tree house, bo-tard!"

"You don't need it."

The trio jumped, startled. The kids laughed at them from the tub. "Guess who?" They cheered in unison.

Caliber greeted Shock with a smirk. "I remember my caldron spells, mom."

The trio stared at them. They didn't know whether to hug them or strangle them.

"How did you little shits get here?" Shock scolded them.

"It's a long story. We'll explain later." Alia hopped out first then helped her cousins down.

"Get lost, guys!" Lock ordered. "It's dangerous here."

"Do you really think we care?" Halberd scoffed. "We want to get the tree house back too, you know."

"Let _us_ handle this." Barrel ordered.

"It took you guys long enough to get started." Caliber dug a hole, just deep enough to hold the contents of the vial. "Pour the liquid in." He instructed.

"As soon as this spell takes effect, I want you three as far away from here as possible, got it?" Lock eyed the kids closely in case they crossed their fingers.

"Okay..." They replied in unison. They gave their parents a quick hug to assure them they would not go back on their word.

Satisfied, Lock poured the liquid in the hole. Caliber recited a quick incantation. The liquid turned from murky green to black. No images from the tree house formed in the puddle, but Gore's voice was head loud and clear.

_"The hell with the boogiemen! The hell with the frightful! No more fucking around, boys! __**We**__ are the real monsters! And tonight, we storm Halloween!"_

There was an outburst of cheers from Gore's goons. The kid's faces turned pale, as did their parents. The voices phased out as the liquid evaporated.

"That doesn't sound good." Barrel stated the obvious.

"Aw fuck!" Lock spat. "What, do they want to start a war or something?"

"If they are, they have reinforcements." Alia pointed downward. Noogie leading his team of scorpions with Sally (in peaces) in their clutches marched out from the trees and towards the casino. In behind them marched Oogie leading his team of black widows. In their clutches they held Jack.

The trio kept low to the ground and pulled their children down with them.

"We're screwed, aren't we?" Halberd asked.

"Not quite yet" Shock assured him.

Barrel cocked his head at her. "We're not?"

"No! I think I have a plan, but you three need to run back to town." She instructed the lumplings sternly.

They stood with blank expressions, hesitant to move.

"NOW!" Lock and Barrel shouted in unison.

The kids scrambled for the tub and took off. They hated to abandon their parents, but they decided it was best to do as they were told...

For now...


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Omens

"Where do these damn birds keep comin' from?" Hester swung a lit torch overhead. The crows backed off, but only for a moment.

"I don't know! But they just keep a comin'." Angela swatted them away with her straw hat. They squawked, pecking at her. "Shoo! Shoo!" She hissed.

Hester lowered her torch in defeat. "At least they're eating some of the flies."

Angela paused to rest against a fencepost. She looked out at her beloved pumpkin patch with sorrow. The majority of the crops that had not been burned days earlier had been consumed by insects. "We ought to pack up and leave." She sighed. "Ain't nothin' left."

"Don't say that, ma." Hester placed her gloved hands in Angela's. "We'll be able to work the land again soon."

Angela shook her head. "Oh... Where'd our no good husbands get to?"

The she scarecrows jumped as the ear-splitting cry of the town's crises siren screeched over the fields. Even the crows scattered at the sound.

The Behemoth jumped out from behind the tool shed. In his hands he held two axes, one of which he removed from his own head. "Trouble!" He announced, pointing in the direction of town square.

"Tor, what do you think yer doing?"

The Behemoth did not answer. Instead, he threw Hester the second ax.

"He's right ma. We got to find out what's going on or else we might lose the patch fer good. You stay here and fight off them crows."

Angela gave her husband a big hug. "You two be careful, ya hear?"

The Behemoth released her then turned for the exit. Hester followed, clutching her ax tightly.

"There's dad!" Caliber shouted.

From the alleyway, the trio spotted the entire witch community standing around the public caldron. Every other person held up candles or jack-o-lanterns towards the night sky. The caldron provided the main source of light, however. Among them were the warlocks, all except for the elders. Hatchet stood in front of the caldron, surrounded by his brothers and their witch relatives. He waved his arms frantically, scolding the crowd. A chorus of shouts could be heard blocks away.

"What the hell are they doing?" Alia asked, squinting for a better look.

Halberd looked to Caliber. "I didn't think warlocks were allowed above ground this time of year?"

"We're not." He confirmed. "We only breach the interaction barriers when there's a tragedy...Oh shit."

The trio steered the tub closer. It stopped a few feet from the crowd. They hid behind an old tapestry that had been tossed out the window for a dusting. From there they could hear Hatchet address his clan.

He banged his wand against the brim of the caldron. "QUIET! QUIET!" He shouted. "Could we at least _try_ to go somewhere with this meeting?"

"FINE!" A warlock in green robes raised his wand. "I vote Brother Dagger to be the eldest!" He proposed for himself confidently.

A young witch holding her son in her arms raised her broom with her free hand. "I vote Brother Machete to be the eldest!" She proposed for her husband.

"You're daft!" An apprentice standing in the far back cried. "Brother Scimitar should be the eldest!" He proposed for his mentor.

Trigger held up his wand to the crowd. "The choice is obvious! Brother Hatchet should be the eldest!"

"What?"

"I second that!" His wife, Merrywhickette added.

Hatchet shook his head. "No, no, I don't have the experience-"

"My vote's for Hatchet!"

"Mine too!"

"Same here!" The eldest witches stomped their feet in agreement.

It was unanimous. The crowd voted in favor of Hatchet, despite his desperate attempts to refuse. Caliber smiled. "Dad could be the eldest. He's a master."

"That means he'll start riding your ass twice as hard about your studies." Alia reminded him.

"Na, he'll be too busy managing the catacombs to pay attention to me. Oh yeah, this will be sweet."

"Shhh!" Halberd snapped. "Hey AP, it's your mom!"

Alia forced him to duck. "Where?"

Hatchet backed away. "No way! Absolutely not! I can't be an elder! I-"

Thicket threw her arm around Hatchet's shoulder. "I have faith that brother Hatchet will serve us well. What say you all?"

"Aye!" The crowd replied.

Hatchet stared at his younger sister in disbelief. "Have you gone insane?" He whispered.

"Trust me. I have a plan." She looked to her clan with a smile. "Then it's agreed. A cheer for our new eldest, Hatchet! HIP HIP-!"

"HOORAY!"

The witches and warlocks threw their hats in the air. Thicket tossed hers above the caldron. With so many hats overhead, no one noticed the assortment of seeds, roots, thorns, and bristles that fell out of her hat and into the brew. Hatchet noticed however, and he carefully calculated the mixture in his head. Thicket had concocted a temporary paralyzing potion.

Thicket handed Hatchet her broom. "It's time for the inauguration!" She announced.

As Hatcher stirred the bubbling caldron, the witches and warlocks formed a disorderly line. Thicket pored each of them a ladle full of the brew. Once everyone in the community received a cupful, Thicket held up her goblet for a toast. "Long live elder Hatchet! May he continue to serve us well!"

Hatchet gave up. "To the revival and preservation of the brotherhood!"

"HERE, HERE!" The others cheered while raising their glasses.

Hatchet and Thicket took a sip along with everyone else. They, however, didn't swallow. Those who ingested the brew froze solid where they stood. They stared in random directions with unblinking eyes- trapped in a hellish trance. Hatchet spit out the brew on the ground. The bitter after taste left him hacking. "Wha- what was that for?"

Thicket spit hers in her cup. "Don't worry, the side effects of that spell includes memory loss. You know that."

"That isn't what I asked."

"It was the only way to completely preoccupy them." She explained. "You have to come with me. Shock and the others left to spy on Oogie."

"WHAT?"

"They're trying to take the casino back."

"By themselves? How could you just let them go?"

"You know it's impossible to argue with them!"

"They'll never make it back alive! We have to get them out of there!"

"I'm right behind you." Thicket tapped her broom on the ground. It hovered horizontally, allowing her to climb aboard. "Hop on." She ordered. "We'll get there in five minutes if we book it."

Hatchet struggled to climb up. Thicket waited a moment for him to find a safe, comfortable position. As they took off, the cat siren began to howl.

"Turn around!" Hatchet ordered, looking back at Guillotine Square. "That has Shock's name all over it!"

Halberd covered his ears. "Who set off the fucking alarm?" He groaned over the racket.

"Uncle Ed!" Alia answered, giving him a slap. "Who else, **stupid**?"

"RIDE!" Caliber banged on the side of the tub. It bucked before galloping around the mob of frozen witches and warlocks.

The siren ripped Wrath from his slumber. He shook his head; realizing nightfall had returned him to his fleshy form. He stretched his wings and legs. "What's with the noise?" He asked aloud with a yawn.

Once fully awake, Wrath remembered the cat siren's purpose and he began top panic. "Dusk!"

He crawled across the roof and down the wall of the building. Suspended upside-down by his claws, he poked his head through the window of his apartment building. There was no sign of Dusk or the twins. "Oh no! Where are they? What happened?"

The faint sound of Ire's giggling caught his pointed ear. Wrath looked to Skellington Manor. There Bill was perched on the study tower with Raged curled up its lap while it gently tossed Ire in the air. Giggling, she fluttered her batwings then landed safely back in Bill's massive claws.

"AHH!" Wrath leapt upwards towards the manor. He swooped down as Bill tossed Ire again, scooping her in his arms. "Hands off, demon!" The gargoyle/ vampire hybrid hissed.

"Hi neighbor." Bill greeted Wrath warmly. "She's too little to fly yet."

"No shit!" Wrath snatched Rage off Bill's knee and flew just out of its reach. Startled, the twins began to cry. "Shhh..." He begged. "It's okay. Daddy's here." He glared down at the slith. "Where's Dusk?" He snarled.

"With Ed. They left to call for help."

"Why?"

"To get the old skeleton and the pretty one back from the shadows."

Wrath shook his head. "To get who back from what?" Suddenly, Bill's explanation became clear as day. "Why didn't Dusk come get me?"

"You were still a statue."

Wrath cursed his inability to function in daylight inwardly. "Here!" He handed the twins back to Bill (silencing their piercing cries). "Don't let them out of your sight!"

"Okay!" Bill and the twins waved goodbye as Wrath flew towards the source of the siren. It held its free hand up to its cheekbone. "GOOD LUCK!"

After five solid minutes of banging, Jewel finally answered the door, shocked to discover Gregor and a drow on the other side. "Good lord!" She cried, startled. "What are you doing here?"

"It's...it's a long story." Gregor answered, panting.

Jewel shook her head. "Get inside, quickly!" She ordered, shoving them through the door. "The temperature's dropping."

She escorted them to the lab where Trivette lounged on the autopsy table while the doctor and Igor tinkered at the workbench. Trivette's eye sockets lit up as he spotted Stial standing in the doorway. "I thought you'd never show up!"

"I almost didn't make it." She admitted. "I'm so glad you're all right!"

Overjoyed, Trivette ran over to greet her, but instead of a warm hug, he received a punch so hard it made his neck spin on his vertebrae. He held his skull still until the dizziness went away. Gregor and Igor tried not to snicker. Trivette glared at them before scolding Stial. "Bitch!" He spat. "Why you gotta hit a brother like dat?"

Again, she punched him. "IDIOT!" She snarled in a venomous tone that neither Gregor nor Trivette ever imagined she could reach. "I know all about how you wound up here! How could you be so **stupid**?"

"Baby, I-"

"You're lucky I decided to hold onto this!" Trivette cringed as she held up her fist, flashing the platinum wedding ring he had proposed to her with. "After that boneheaded stunt, I should make you **eat** it!"

Trivette placed his hands on her waste and pulled her in for a hug. "Look, I know what I did was stupid. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I just wanted to...to...I won't do anything like it again, okay, baby?"

Stial rested her head on his ribcage. "Okay..."

Trivette confirmed his apology with a kiss. Such a tender display of emotion nearly made Dr. Finklestein vomit. "All right, that's enough! Break it up!" He ordered, forcing the couple apart by ramming Trivette with his wheelchair.

"Yo!" Trivette snapped. "I can't show affection in the lab too?"

"No, as a matter of fact, you can't." The doctor sneered. "Get a room if you want to be romantic, but keep in mind, you're ribs haven't completely healed and your frame as a whole can't handle much pressure."

Stial giggled. Trivette mentally blushed. "That's wack! I'm a patient! You're supposed to treat me with-"

"That's nice. Shut up, son." The doctor rolled past; refusing to give Trivette any further acknowledgment. He adjusted his glasses, puzzled. "Gregor? When did you get back to town?"

"Yesterday. Chuck flew us here in the sleigh- Hal', Cal' and AP and I that is." He answered breathlessly. "Well, actually he flew us to the real world and we came here through some piss-ant cemetery in Manhattan. Then we wondered around in the woods for a while until this weirdo goblin took us to Stial's village and then the guys and I ditched Chuck and-"

"Whoa!" Dr. Finklestein motioned for silence. "Are you fucking daffy? What the hell is wrong with you? Does your father know any of this?"

"Dad's missing. The house is wrecked. There's no sign of him or mom anywhere." Gregor frowned, overwhelmed with dread. "What's going on around here? Where is everybody?"

The screech of the siren cut him off before he could answer. Everyone but the doctor rushed to the window.

"Oh no..." Gregor poked his head outside, struggling to spot the cause for alarm, but the electric fences blocked his view.

"Oh no?" Stial repeated. "Why 'Oh no'?"

"Noise means Ed's in trouble." Igor explained.

"Da-amn!" Trivette moaned, holding the sides of his aching skull. "Why can't he just shut dat bitch down and install cell phone plans like in real towns?"

Gregor shoved his way past the others and ran for the exit.

Jewel snatched him by the arm. "Where are you going?"

"Where do you think? To help Edgar!"

"You stay put." The doctor ordered. "You're lucky you made it to the lab in one piece. I'm not letting you loose in the middle of this mess."

"But grandpa-"

"But **nothing**!" The doctor shouted, pointing to the autopsy table. "It's been a few days. You're due for another physical examination anyways."

"It's been ten years, grandpa! **Ten years, **you've run all these test only to get inconclusive results!" He cried. "How could you even suggest we waste time on a physical now? Listen! Edgar needs help! Don't you care?"

"Yes I care! My Sally is missing, isn't she? Of course I care! Excuse me, if I try to keep a level head." Dr. Finklestein sighed. "Edgar is a grown man. Your father spent years training him to handle these emergencies. You're just a child. The only way you can help him is by staying safe."

"Can't I just pop out long enough to find out what's going on?"

"Believe me, whatever danger is lurking out there will eventually creep its way in here."

"But-"

"A physical might take your mind off things, Gregor." Jewel said softly. "Who knows. Maybe today is the day you show signs of development."

Gregor lowered his head in defeat. It just wasn't fair. After traveling across two worlds, he was still just as helpless and clueless as he was when he first left home.

The siren continued to howl. Gregor could feel the piercing noise echoing in his skull until he was forced to collapse in Jewel's arms in tears.

Dr. Finkelstein pointed towards Trivette and Stial. "You two, out."

"Wait- is Greg gonna be a'right?"

He didn't answer. "You two run along."

"Come on, baby..." Stial pulled Trivett away. "We'll wait for him downstairs."

Jewel led them out, leaving the doctor and Igor to their work. Trivette witnessed the doctor and Igor strapping Gregor to the autopsy table right before Jewel yanked him away from the door.

"That's fuckin' twisted! How can you let him use that kid like a guinea pig?" Trivette demanded.

Jewel scowled at him. "Who are you to question his methods?" She snapped. "It's for Gregor's own good."

"Oh yeah? How? Explain that to me!"

"I'm not about to waste my breath." She sneered.

"Fuck this!" Trivette began to unravel his bandages.

Stial gasped. "What are you doing?"

"Checking out" Trivette answered, handing Jewel the discarded bandages before slipping on his du-rag. "Greg might be too young to help Ed, but I'm not."

"No!" She protested. "Your injuries-"

Trivette motioned for Stial to shush. "I'm a'right. Nothing I can't walk off."

"Edgar told you to stay out of trouble." Jewel reminded him.

"I don't care what that skinny mo fo said! I'm going out there!"

Jewel glared at the young, thickheaded skeleton. "Very well. I suggest you take this then" She handed him a crowbar. "Don't lose it."

Trivette bopped it in his palm, smiling fiendishly. "Ye-eah son!" He gave Stial one last kiss before running towards the door.

"What's the meaning of this?"

"Who sounded the alarm?"

"What's the trouble?"

Wrath perched himself on the roof to Town Hall. He climbed down a column until he stood safely on the ground by Dusk's side. "Where is everyone?" He whispered, scanning the small crowd gathering around the fountain. "Is this all who's showing up?"

"I guess so." She replied. "No very promising, is it?"

"Quiet everyone! Let me explain!" Edgar begged, motioning for the few citizens who showed to settle down.

Dusk's patience grew thin. "Your pumpkin king has something to announce!" She shouted over the crowd, raising an energy-emitting fist in the air.

The ones standing up front ducked to avoid the stray bolts of energy. They looked irritated by the gesture, but at least it shut them up. Edgar took the opportunity to climb on the top step to Town Hall's front stoop. "LISTEN!" He ordered. "This is a search party- quite possibly a rescue party! We have reason to believe Jack and Sally Skellington has been kidnapped by Oogie Boogie!"

Half the crowd laughed at him. Edgar shook his head in disbelief. "Are you all _high_? I just said they're being held captive across town! Let's move!"

"Earlier you said you weren't even sure if the Oogie resurrection rumors were true!" The shortest vampire brother reminded him.

"And you started those rumors in the first place!" Ethan added with a sneer. "Why should anyone believe what you say anymore?"

"This is no joke, people!" Thicket shouted from her broom. "If you have any non-jellied brains left in your heads, you'll march with us to the casino!"

"Bha! Don't listen to her, that's Lock's bitch!" The Werewolf snarled. "She's a con artist! Probably trying to lure us in the casino for a round of poker!"

"YOU ASS!" Hester cried, thumping the gnarled cur on the snout. "You really think they're making all this up fer profit?"

"I wouldn't put it past them!" The Harlequin monster sneered. "I mean, just look who's in on this whole operation! Boogie's Boys, their patsies, and two misshapen hybrid beast from halfway across the real world!"

Wrath scowled as he stomped his way towards the Harlequin monster. "Who are you calling _misshapen_? Look who's talking, _hodgepodge_!" He hissed, shoving Harlequin back.

Feathers flew as the Harlequin monster pushed back, gritting his teeth. "Touch me again and I'll chomp your paws off, Count Freakula!"

Edgar stared blankly as his rescue party bickered amongst themselves. "AW, THE HELL WITH YOU PEOPLE!" He jumped down from the stoop and pushed his way through the brawl.

Dusk fought to catch up with him. "Wait! You can't just leave!"

"I don't have time for this bullshit!" He replied. "I'll just rescue mom and dad myself! Do me a favor- Try to talk some **sense** into these bo-tards!"

"But-" Dusk tried to hold him back, but The Behemoth accidentally fell backwards onto her after receiving a head butt from the Werewolf.

When Edgar finally made it past the fountain, he quickened his pace to a run. Halfway up the street, he heard the sound of obnoxious laughter in the distance. He stopped to look around when a full garbage can was tossed right into him from nowhere.

"_**OMPH**_!!" The can knocked Edgar halfway across the block. He groaned as he pushed the can off and picked garbage off his suit. He struggled to stand, but once he got back on his feet, he immediately continued forward.

"What's the rush, your highness?" Gore chuckled before finally showing his face at the end of the street. He slowly raised his arms, lifting the public stocks and a streetlamp off the ground.

Edgar screeched to a halt, staring in wide-eyed horror as a mob of rogue ghouls, insectoids, and goblins assembled behind Gore. "Get out of my way!" He ordered. "I have more important things to take care of!"

Gore snickered. "Wow, you really are as dumb as you look!" As he balled his left fist, the hovering streetlamp swung forward.

a/n: I've mentioned this before, but I like to cover my ass. Dusk's character is owned by Dusk-Kitsune88. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Please continue. It will make me happy and finish this atrocity sooner (so I can retire and never blemish the Nightmare Before Christmas fanworld with my crappy fics ever again). I shall leave you all with that little incentive. Thanks guys, rock on.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: To War

Edgar ducked backwards, catching his balance with his palms. To Gore's dismay, the streetlamp missed him by a quarter of an inch. Edgar pushed off with his hands, and sprung upright. "Nice try!" He sneered, balling his fist.

Gore scowled. "TAKE WHAT YOU WANT! LEAVE NO PRISONERS!" He informed his troops. "BUT THE SKELETON'S MINE!"

The horde stormed towards Town Square. Edgar struggled to weave through the traffic, only to be blindsided by Gore's fist. The mob did not slow him down. He could land punches straight through solid objects. Edgar had no such advantage. He grunted upon each impact. It seemed as though Gore's victory was ensured until the mob thinned.

The moment Edgar realized there were no ghouls between him and Gore, he grabbed the poltergeist by his wrist and tossed him into the towering stone boulevard. Gore disappeared through it. "Shit!" He cursed aloud as he regained his mid-air bearings. "I forgot the brat can touch me!"

"Give up?"

Gore looked up to spot Edgar glaring down at him from atop the boulevard. He replied with a venomous scream before pouncing on the skeleton.

Chaos swept the streets while they wrestled two blocks away. Ghost drifted into homes, ransacking their neighbors. The insectiod drones scaled the monuments and shops. The widow drones spun webs that blocked off the alleyways while the scorpions smashed windows and busted down doorways with their stingers.

The citizens who were bickering with each other just seconds ago found themselves engaged in mortal combat with a gang of ghouls and goblins. The trio froze at the edge of the witch community, stunned by the battle taking place before their eyes.

"Holy SHIT!" Halberd cried.

"Everyone's trying to clobber each other!" Caliber added.

"All Hell broke loose!" Alia concluded.

"Cool!" The trio cheered in unison. And it _was_ cool, until they noticed Thicket and Hatchet standing guard at the intersection just a block ahead. They were too focused on the three cackling goblins heading towards them to notice the kids.

"What a stroke of genius!" Hatchet spat as three cackling goblins crept towards him. "Our community can't defend itself frozen!"

Thicket swung her broom at the goblins, forcing them to step back. "I didn't exactly predict _this_ when I entranced everyone!"

The largest of the three goblins raised a thick animal femur above his head then took a heavy swing at Hatchet. The warlock just barely managed to block it with his wand. The goblin grunted as he applied his weight to the femur, determined that first blow would strike the warlock down. Hatchet resisted as best he could, but he could feel his arms begin to tremble and his wand snapping under the pressure as the goblin overpowered him.

Thicket whacked the smallest goblins upside the temple with the broom handle. As he laid on the ground unconscious, the third goblin snatched the broom from her hands and put her in a headlock.

"MOM!"

The boys tried to hold Alia back, but she jumped out of the tub with a slingshot in hand and immediately began to collect loose stones off the ground. "Let go, you ugly fuck!"

The goblin dropped Thicket as a sharp pain shot through his left eye. He growled in agony, realizing he was now reduced to one working eye by a stone. "BITCH! You'll **both** pay for that!" He snarled, re-snatching Thicket by her hair.

By this point, the big goblin had given up on his first swing and raised his femur for another. Hatchet quickly stepped to the side before he could strike, and broke his wand over the back of the goblin's head. He gasped in sorrow over his beloved wand, but took no time to mourn. Instead, he jumped on the second goblin's back and twisted his head by the horns.

Thicket screeched as a lock of her hair ripped out (the goblin tightened his grip, rather than loosen it as Hatchet had hoped). Her scalp hurt tremendously, but at least she was free to crawl away while Hatchet tangled with the goblin.

"Are you okay?" Alia asked, helping her mother to her feet.

"What are you doing here?" Thicket hissed. "Run before you're all killed!"

Alia pouted. "Gee, you're welcome, mom."

"I mean it, Alia! Take the boys to higher grounds-!" She noticed a look of terror forming on her daughter's face and turned around to find a partially skeletal hand reaching out towards her. She screamed as the zombie dragged her off by her arm.

Alia, armed and angry, chased after them. The boys sprung into action, revealing slingshots of their own. The trio aimed carefully for the zombie's head, but Hester snuck up behind him and drove her ax into his shoulder before they could fire.

Once weakened, she and Thicket kicked him to the curb. "You three are in BIG trouble!" Hester shouted at the trio, but aimed her ax specifically at Halberd.

Hatchet limped to their side, adjusting his battered hat. "You better hope someone takes us all out!" He warned. "Because if we make it out of this in one piece-"

A new group of goblins, accompanied by a pair of dagger-wielding manticores charged at them. The adults had no choice but to end their scolding and turn to fight.

"What do we do now, AP?" Halberd asked, tugging on her sleeve.

"Get off!" She snapped, jerking her arm free. She frantically looked around for anything they could use to their advantage. "There!" She pointed to the old mayor's house (now a bed and breakfast). She grabbed her cousins by the collars and dragged them back to the tub. "Quick- to the roof!"

When Chuck awoke, he found himself suspended from the ceiling by his wrist in what appeared to be a circular funhouse mirror room. Between the long, rectangular mirrors where unconscious heat and orc skeletons chained to stone pillars. They were covered in cobwebs and dressed as card jokers.

Separating the floor from the mirrors (where Paul and Jason sat back to back, bound by thick, itchy rope) was a narrow moat of molten lava. It made the room unbearably hot, especially for the poor Christmas elves. "I'm going to tie those little bastards into knots when we get out of here!" Chuck growled.

"We told you that goblin was trouble." Paul reminded him, breathing heavily.

"Shut up."

"You shut up!"

"Hey, I told you to stay in Christmas Town!"

"Yeah well...you suck!"

Chuck gritted his teeth. Arguing any further would just be a waste of time. "How are you holding up down there?"

"I'm okay?" Jason answered. "Just sweaty."

Chuck struggled to work his wrist free, but to no avail. "What about you?"

"I don't feel too good." Paul wheezed as if a bolder had been placed on his chest. "It's so hot...I-I can't breathe."

"Just hang on, bro. You'll be okay. Try to stay awake." Chuck looked down and watched Paul nod weakly. It was difficult to see from a bird's eye view, but Chuck could tell they were in rough shape. All three of them felt hung over from the poisonous needles. A few still remained in their limbs and necks. Their clothes were bloodied and stained from being dragged to..."Where are we?"

Jason shrugged. "Well, we're definitely not in the drow village anymore. This doesn't look like elvish architecture."

"Must be underground somewhere. I bet we're in some goblin cleric's sacrifice room." Paul hissed.

Chuck shook his head. "Can't be. Look at the markings on the glass. Clubs, hearts, diamonds and spades. Goblins don't play human card games."

"They can't keep track of numbers." Jason added. He sat up straight and tilted his head as something from outside caught his ears. "Do you hear that?"

The boys kept silent. The floor shook as something big stomped closer and closer to their prison. One of the heart mirrors lifted up, revealing Zteikleik standing behind some huge burlap creature. "Fresh meat for you, Oogie." Zteikleik grinned obnoxiously at the boys. "Oh look, they're awake."

Chuck glared at him with white-hot intensity.

"This better be good you slimy little urchin" Oogie growled as he entered. "Couldn't you have bugged Noogie for-" He took one look at his new prisoners and laughed. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" He laughed, slapping Chuck on the back. "A live human, hu? OH! It's been years since I've toyed with one of these!" He looked to the floor with a frown. "Why the hell did you bother to bring me _elves_?" He snapped. "They're too fragile. No fun to scare at all."

"But, I-I-" Zteikleik stuttered nervously. "These are valuable, _exotic_ elves, Mr. Boogieman. Imported all the way from Christmas Town."

"Christmas Town...?" Oogie scratched the back of his head. The place sounded familiar, but after so many years unraveled, he couldn't remember. "All right. I guess they're worth a little something for your trouble. Get back to the casino and tell Noogie to fork over your reward."

"YES!" Zteikliek cheered. He leaned over and pinched Paul's nose. "It's been fun, fellows." He snickered. "Hope you enjoy your final resting place."

"We'll have plenty of company." Paul sneered.

Zteikleik turned pale as Paul took a deep breath. The blizzard elf's face turned deep blue as he exhaled the biggest gust of wind in his life. His breath completely froze the goblin's throat and shoulder's over with a casing of ice seven inches thick.

Oogie laughed as the young goblin staggered, frantically trying to scratch off the ice. His yellow eyes bulged as his cheeks blushed. He fell to his knees, gasping for air. He desperately reached for Paul's throat with a shaky hand.

Paul smirked, chest heaving. "Its no use, bro. That ice won't melt anytime soon, not even in here."

In minutes, Zteikleik's lack of much needed oxygen did him in. His grip on Paul's throat weakened as he keeled over, lifeless on the floor.

Oogie nudged Zteikliek side. After receiving no response, he kicked the goblin into the lava pit, laughing as the molten rock consumed his flesh and bones. "HA! Great, I don't have to pay him. Maybe you pointy-headed shits are useful after all. I could use an ice-cream machine in the casino."

Paul coughed violently. Blood began to trickle down the sides of his mouth. Oogie shook him. "Don't tell me you're broken!" He snapped, tugging on Paul's hair. The blizzard elf's pupils became dilated. His face lost all color before he passed out. Oogie tossed him aside. "Worthless!"

"Fuck off, would you? He's overheated!" Chuck snapped.

Oogie scowled up at the human as he climbed to his feet. "My, aren't we courageous. I must have never terrorized you in your youth." He rubbed his chin, looking Chuck over closely. "Then again, you _do_ look familiar. You even sound familiar! Let me think... short, ugly, beard, brown eyes, red nose-" Suddenly, it came to him. "SANDY CLAWS! No- his kid maybe. Even better!" Oogie laughed menacingly. "I knew there was something about you! Let's hope you're more of a gambling man than your dad, not that you have much of a choice."

"You didn't get him and you're not going to get me!"

Oogie chuckled. "Man, you are just as oblivious as he was! **I** have the upper hand in this situation, kiddo. I always have the upper hand down here. You'll learn that quickly enough. Your old man did. You should have heard him, begging me to let him go!"

"A Claus never begs! He **told** you to let him go!"

Oogie slapped Chuck across the face. "Watch it!" Oogie warned. "I went _easy_ on him. I won't go easy on you." He turned towards the door. "I'll be back in a little while and we'll all have some fun." He announced. "But first, there's an old friend I have to catch up with."

As he left, the mirror dropped, sealing the room. Chuck trembled with anger. Jason trembled with fear. He looked to Paul, still pale, doubled over and out cold. "I-I can't believe he iced that guy."

"Pretty badass for Paul." Chuck sighed. "I'm really sorry, bro- for dragging you into this."

"It's okay. I just hope Paul doesn't dehydrate. Not that it will matter once that- that _thing_ comes back."

"I'll get us out of here." Chuck assured him. "I just have to think..."

"Why did you do this to me?" Gregor asked as the doctor stripped the skin from his left arm and scraped the exposed bone for a density test. He hated his physicals so much. They're so degrading.

"We've been over this, my boy." The doctor motioned for Igor to hand him some hooks. After cutting the stitches to the y-shaped incision on Gregor's chest. Gregor's fingers twitched as each piece of steel tore into his flesh. With his chest cavity opened wide, Dr. Finklestein removed Gregor's foliage stuffing. "If I accidentally strike a responsive nerve, you'll have a spastic reflex and slap me. Some are still alive, you know. You were very well preserved. I know this is uncomfortable, but-"

"I mean, how could you stick me with such a useless body?"

"I gave you an excellent body! What's wrong with it? It's tall, sturdy, symmetrical. You have twenty-twenty vision, straight teeth-" Dr. Finkelstein paused to punch in a code on the remote placed on his lap. Overhead, an x-ray machine took photograph Gregor's insides. "You should be grateful someone took the time to fix your genetic flaws before giving you life! Not even God is so generous to his creations! Tell him, Igor."

"But I'm small-"

"Hardly." The doctor interrupted. "Before construction, I had to enlarge every part of you to keep you stable. The same rule applies to all reanimated beings."

"I'm still just a kid."

He shrugged. "You could pass for fifteen if you wanted to. Besides, living humans don't reach adulthood until their late teens."

"But they start out as babies made from their own parts! You threw my sorry carcass together from a bunch of ten-year-olds and here I am, a decade later- still a God damn ten-year-old!" Gregor cried. "You **knew** my tissue would remain dormant! You **knew** I would be stuck like this for the rest of my existence! How could you do this to me, you sick son of a bitch? I'm no different from a cyborg or a sub-human replicant from Blade Runner!"

"Cyborgs are built with artificial parts; you're completely organic! And you keep Blade Runner out of this!" He glanced over to the far end of the lab where Edgar's old amp and Gregor's spare Mockingbird sat, collecting dust. "If you shut up long enough for me to get through this procedure, I'll let you practice your guitar as loud as you want."

"Don't change the subject!" Gregor snapped. "Call me whatever! Either way, you cursed me!" He looked to Igor. "Didn't anyone object? Couldn't anyone see how wrong this was? Why did you let them put me together?"

Unable to respond, Igor looked to his feet as he handed the doctor a needle.

"Leave him alone. There's no reason to be pissed at him." The doctor scolded him as he reassembled Gregor's torso. "Your parents asked me for a child and that's what I gave them." He inspected Gregor's facial scars. "Who reattached your jaw? They did a good job. You haven't shut up once in the past half hour."

"Kiss my ass! If you can't find a way for me to reach manhood, than at least let me keep enough dignity to help Edgar!"

"Over my dead body!"

"This isn't fair! My brain has to be developed by now! I can make my own decisions!"

"Nice try." The doctor's expression softened just slightly. He ran his fingers through Gregor's auburn red hair. "Don't be in such a rush to grow up. Your uncle Death promised you would eventually, didn't he? It's not like him to lie."

"I don't think he lied...I just think he messed up somehow."

"Be patient, my boy. I'm working on a solution for you, just in case he did."

"That does me no good now, does it?" Gregor snapped. "Come on, grandpa, unstrap me!"

"You're wasting your breath, my boy. Trust me, your parents _and_ Edgar would rather you stay here where you're safe. They wouldn't want you to search for them."

"But I want to help. Don't you understand? I can't stay. I would hate myself if I didn't try to find them."

"They know that. You don't have to prove it by doing something stupid."

"At least loosen my restraints!"

"Then you would run off. And I can't very well chase after you, now can I?"

"I mean it! Let me go! If you give a damn about me or Edgar, you'll let me go!" He squirmed as Dr. Finklestein forced his head still and inched the needle close to his lips. "You bastard! Don't touch m- MMMHH! MHHHH! MMMMHHHHHH!"

With a few twist of the wrist, the doctor sewed Gregor's lips shut. Gregor screamed and cursed at him, but it all sounded like incoherent mumbles. Dr. Finklestein leaned back in his wheelchair, crossing his arms. "I'll cut the thread when you calm down and come to your senses."

"MMMMMMMHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Gregor continued to curse, squirming and flopping on the table, desperate to break his bonds. Igor tightened the belts to keep him still. "Master! He hurting himself!"

"He'll tire out eventually." He replied as he rolled off the platform. "Dope him up a bit if he gets too rowdy."

"Shhh..." Igor begged. "It be okay." He promised, stroking his forehead. "I know how you feel. I not like body I born with much too."

Gregor finally held still. Tears began to trickle down his cheeks.

Suddenly he spotted Jewel bursting into the room out of the corner of his eye. "The electric fences are down!" She informed them. "Doctor, you better take a look outside."

Dr. Finklestein rolled towards the window and peeked into a telescope. "Holy shit!"

Igor pushed him aside and took a look. "What is- SHIT!"

The doctor looked to Gregor. "I told you whatever was outside would eventually creep its way in here."

"Mmmmhh mmmhh mmhh?"

"Arachnids" The doctor interpreted Gregor's question and answered. "We're being invaded by the black widow colony, it looks like."

"What do we do?" Jewel asked.

"You fetch the repellent!" He ordered his female counterpart.

"Yes dear" Jewel rushed towards the door.

"And you-" He pointed to Igor. "Shut down all the generators! I want this lab pitch black."

"Yes Master" Igor limped over to the wall and began to lower every switch. Little by little, every light in the lab shut down.

The doctor waited for the room to turn dark before removing his glasses and rolling back over towards Gregor. The young rag doll struggled to make out the details of his grandfather's face. The only feature he could see were his eyes, which glowed white. It scared him at first. He had never seen Dr. Finklestein with his eyes open and sunglasses off at the same time before. The doctor held his scalpel to Gregor's lips. "I'm...sorry about all this, I really am. Are you still angry with me?"

Gregor shook his head no.

"You sure?"

He nodded yes.

The doctor sliced open his stitches wide enough for him to speak again then unbuckled the belts. Gregor sat upright. "Thanks" He said begrudgingly, pulling loose thread out of his mouth. "Why did you turn off the lights? Black widows can see better in the dark."

"True, but so can I."

Caught in a shoving match, Edgar struggled to maintain his foothold while forcing Gore to his knees. "What...is your...problem?" He growled, twisting Gore's hand behind his back. "Why are you doing this to my town?"

"Because it shouldn't be _your_ town!" Gore hissed. "I spent my whole life being some spoiled dickweed's pack mule! I thought I could start over, be my own man in death, but NO! I'm expected to be _your_ pack mule! Fuck that! Fuck you!" He jerked his head back, bashing Edgar in the face.

"OMPH!" Edgar dropped him, to clutch his poor fractured nasal holes. Big mistake. Gore tackled him. Once pinned, he grabbed Edgar by the shoulders, slamming him repeatedly against the concrete. "This is for ME, understand? Not them, not Noogie, not Oogie- ME!"

Edgar snatched a lock of Gore's hair and tugged as hard as he could until he finally yanked Gore off him. The poltergeist tried to lash out at him before he could climb to his feet, but Edgar tilted back and kicked him in the stomach, sending Gore flying.

He ran after the poltergeist, catching him by his throat. "How **dare** you run amok in my holiday!" He hissed. "At least have the common decency to get to know me before hating my joints! And how dare you call yourself the Poltergeist of Rock! I'm the rocker around here, jerk-off!"

"My weightless glowing ass you are!" A grin formed on Gore's face as he looked towards some crates scrapped pipes stacked behind Harlequin monster's Weeds and Floral.

By the time Edgar caught on and looked back, Gore had raised the crates off the ground and launched them. The crates smacked Edgar off long enough for one of the pipes to impale him (luckily between the ribs). Gore disappeared, allowing Edgar to be pinned right into the north side of Vampire Castle. Edgar collided with the brick wall.

He coughed, unable to breathe with the pipe caught in his ribcage. He cried out as he felt the sting of the pipe being ripped out through his torso. Gore laughed as the young skeleton collapsed against the wall. He pulled back before clubbing Edgar upside his skull. Edgar rolled to the side before Gore could strike again and got a grip of the pole before he could strike a third time.

They played tug-of-war until Edgar realized a push might be more effective than a pull. He jabbed Gore in the gut with the blunt end. Gore gasped, winded, as Edgar ripped the pole from his hands. "Thought that would pass through you, didn't you?" Edgar asked with a smirk. "Well, guess what? Skellingtons can hit ghost with objects in our hands too. Kind of levels the playing field around here, doesn't it?"

"Not quite" Gore sneered, putting up his fist. "I can hit you with objects that aren't in my hands-" With a forward thrust of his fist, Gore hurled an entire display of jack-o-lanterns at Edgar's face.

He blocked the first three or so, but pumpkin guts splattered against his face. Edgar cried, staggering blindly as he tried to scrape the gut buildup from his eye sockets. "Where are you?" He hissed, throwing punches haphazardly in the hopes that one would collide with Gore's face.

"GUESS WHO?"

Edgar smacked the back of his head until he knocked enough pumpkin guts out of his eye sockets to see clearly. By that time, it was too late. Six scarecrows encircled him. The one with the glowing pumpkin head (possessed by Gore himself) smiled as it corned Edgar. "What do you think of my minions?" Gore asked, motioning for the now animated display scarecrows to crack their knuckles. "Those boobs in town square are just a disposable shield." He chuckled. "I'm my own fucking army!"

"Stupid me-" He snorted. "To think you would take me in a one on one."

Gore scowled. "That's right, keep grinning you little puke-" He hissed before knocking Edgar on his pelvis with a right jab to the jaw. "You'll be wearing that skeleton grin on the other side of your fucking face when I'm through!"

Gore snapped his fingers. His scarecrow minions jumped Edgar all at once. Two restrained him while the other three beat him into submission. Gore stood on the sidelines, acting out every kick and punch for his minions to deal to Edgar. His minion's triumphant cackling echoed his own.

Edgar gasped as one of the scarecrows socked him in the sternum while another kneed him in the lower spine. He felt his limbs go numb as his frame buckled from the devastating blow. Gore waltzed up to him and kicked him once in the pelvic bones for good measure.

Edgar gasped, coughing and whimpering at the same time. Gore spit pumpkin seeds at his face. "Game over your highness." He said, lifting Edgar's chin high enough to look the young skeleton in the eye sockets. "It's time to address your subjects one last time."

His minions stood erect as Gore clapped his hands. "To Town Hall!" He led the six-scarecrow march into town square, dragging poor Edgar like a leashed dog.

a/n: A bit long, but at least this story is finally picking up. There will be a guest appearance in the next chapter (and much more, hopefully better written out, fight sequences). Violence makes me smile. And so do reviews! Thanks to all who have commented. Please keep reviewing. Thanks for reading, rock on.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Star Stricken 

Jason's ears twitched. "Chuck! Someone's Coming!"

"Is it Oogie?"

"No- Doesn't sound like it."

"What is it?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is, there's more than one of it."

"Shit!" Chuck spat. "And I can't reach my knife! Any luck breaking your bonds?"

"Nope." Jason began to quiver with fear. "Odin help us- they're getting closer! What do we do?"

"Chill out. Maybe they'll cut us loose first; then we can-"

The mirror rose once again. Chuck's heart nearly jumped out of his chest when three figures appeared from the shadows. Jason nearly fainted, but luckily, the figures turned out to be familiar faces. 

"Damn; it's hot in here!" Barrel, the first to enter, wiped the sweat forming on his forehead. 

Shock stomped in next, fanning herself with her hat. "Nice going, bo-tard!" She snapped back at the shadows. "I told we went the wrong way!"

"Bite me!" Lock retorted, as he entered last. He shrugged at the heat. 'I don't know what you two are bitching about. It feels fine in here."

"What are you guys doing here?" Chuck cried, relieved and shocked at the same time.

Barrel smiled up at them. "Hey guys!" He greeted him, waving with his free hand (the other held a large sack thrown over his shoulder). "We saw a bunch of drow dragging you into the casino while we were sneaking up to the tree house to grab some ammo."

"Could you untie us?" Jason begged.

"Sure" Barrel knelt down to free the elves, but Shock held him back.

"Wait a second!" She hissed, glaring up at Chuck. "Before we do, _please_ tell me our kids are still with Sandy Claws."

Chuck paused. "Um..If I were to tell you they talked me into bringing them along then tricked us into escaping, would you still get me down?"

The trio froze. "NO!" They snapped in unison.

Chuck grunted, winded, as Barrel punched him in the gut.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Lock cried, exposing his fangs. 

"They told me you guys were trouble!" Chuck explained.

"Yeah! But that doesn't mean you take them back to the line of fire, you dumbass!"

"Hey, they were perfectly safe until they ran off!" Jason argued. "We were going to bring the back to Christmas Town before-"

Shock raised her hand for silence. "Normally, we would leave you simps to rot for this, but we need some back up. Oogie has Jack and Sally in the casino. I don't know what he's planning, but I guarantee, it's something heinous. We just saw Gore and his little asshole army marching towards town awhile back too."

Chuck cocked his head in confusion. "Who's Gore?"

"We'll explain later." Lock replied as he removed a hanging skeleton from the wall and pulled the lever that held him up.

A rumble shook the ground as the lever was forced into a downward position. The lava moat began to drain. With the lava removed from the room, the air finally cooled down. 

Paul stirred. He sat up slowly, still looking pale and weary. "Dude.. He croaked. "My chest hurts."

"Hold still." Barrel ordered as he cut the elves free with a knife. 

"Thanks" Jason stood rather wobbly, rubbing his sore, raw wrist. 

Lock helped Paul to his feet. "Unholy Shit, dude!" He cried once he caught a glimpse of Paul's bloodshot eyes. "What happened to you?"

Paul looked in a mirror. "AH! I popped some blood vessels! How did I do that?"

Chuck landed with a thud as Barrel cut him loose. "You iced Zteikleik." He explained. 

"Froze the life right out of-"

Chuck kicked Jason as if to say "Bro, skip the details, would you?"

Paul grinned. "Cool! I must have let out a huge breath. I have a killer head ache."

"Blab la bla- whatever!" Lock interrupted. "Let's focus on how we're going to snuff Oogie."

Chuck took out his pistol. "I have one idea."

"Please!" Shock sneered. "That might scare off a few widows. We need to literally rip Oogie in half to beat him."

"It's just a matter of getting close enough to him." Lock added.

Chuck snatched the sack Barrel held and began to rummage through its contents. "Hey.. He said with a smirk as he pulled out a bow and arrow set. "Mind if I use this? I'm a master archer- if all else fails, I can at least nail Oogie from a distance."

"Take it." Barrel offered. "Shock, you got a strategy for us yet?"

She paused to think. "Uh.. kind of. Lock, lead the way back. I'll assign you guys a position along the way- I swear Lock, you say, "That's what she said" I'll pop you in the fucking mouth!"

The smirk on Lock's face faded. "Follow me." He led everyone out into the long, treacherous underground maze that was Boogie territory. "Keep close, guys" He ordered his Christmas Town friends. "We can't use lights down here, or one of those bug bitches might spot us..

"Welcome back, Jack." Oogie slapped his rival's jawbone back in its socket.

Jack paused to realign his jaw before speaking. "I should have known you would pull your wretched, sad sack self back together some day." He hissed.

Oogie stood proud and tall. "What can I say? I'm a survivor. No one can _really_ destroy me- especially not some pathetic stick figure of a pumpkin king like you." He snickered. "And that was thirty years ago! Just look at you now! Ha! Oh how the might have fallen."

"Speak for yourself! You should have stayed unraveled." Jack balled his fist as he stomped towards Oogie. "Returning was the biggest mistake of your-"

Three scorpions behind Oogie stepped forward, hissing in Jack's face.

Oogie smirked. "Stand aside, ladies, I think he gets the point. He threw his arm around Jack's shoulder. The skeleton struggled to stand with the extra weight on his shoulders. "Choose your words wisely in here, bone buddy-" Oogie warned. "Unless you want another dose Arachnoid juice in your system."

Jack frowned. "For the Celt's sake, Oogie, what do you want from me? If you're looking to prove who the better ghoul is, I think I proved I am years ago!"

"No you did not!" Oogie shouted, stomping his foot. "We're going to settle things once and for all- over a game of your choice." He added in just a slightly calmer tone. "Admit it, Jackie, old boy; gambling's in your marrow! You just don't want to lose to me. Well, you **won't** deny me a challenge this time!"

"Enough! Let Sally and I go before I shred you **four** ways!"

"Not so fast!"

Four black widows jumped from the shadows, spewing thick, indestructible webs. The silver twine wrapped around Jack's limbs. The widows yanked, nearly pulling Jack apart, stringing him up on the casino walls.

"COWARD!" Jack shouted, his enraged voice echoed off the casino walls, scaring a flock of neon bats. "Call them off, you bastard! Fight me like a GHOUL!"

"Temper, temper." Oogie teased, poking Jack's nostrils. "Show a little sportsmanship."

"Wipe that grin off your face, Oogie!" Jack ordered. "I told you, I'm NOT going to play any of your games!"

"Oh really?" He stepped back and pulled a big lever protruding from the ground. The giant roulette wheel turned a few clicks, revealing Sally, restistched and clothed in sexy lingerie. She laid, bound, and gagged on the platform with Dixie beside her, wearing big, sick grin. The banshee held a crude stone dildo in her hand as she stroked Sally's cheek seductively.

Oogie laughed. "Thank Noogie's libido for this one. The pervert thought a little girl on girl action would liven things up." He paused to eye hump the women for a moment. "I have to admit, it's pretty hot." 

"Keep your hands off my wife!"

Oogie slapped him on the back. "Oh no, bone man! There's more- Just in case that didn't give you enough incentive to play along, I got some beast to back up the beauty.. Hey DUMBASS, bring in the cur!"

"Okay, fuckface, hold on!" Noogie barked.

Jack's eye sockets widened as a familiar canine face appeared from the shadows. The Jackalware stepped into view. It snarled, howling ferociously. The only thing keeping it from attacking every moving thing in the casino was the chain leashes held by Noogie, Empress and a few of her subjects. 

"Don't worry, he won't touch the rag doll. He's not hungry. I fed him some of Matriarchs lesser drones. He just has a toothache." Oogie laughed. "He needs a good-sized bone to pick his teeth with! So, here's the deal. If you refuse to play, I sick the Jackalware on you, but if you play-"

"I have a slim chance of winning my freedom."

Oogie nodded. "That's what I like about you, Jack. You catch on quick." He scowled. "Too bad that's the _only_ thing I like about you. Okay, bone man. Pick a game..

"FUCK OFF!" Alia cried as she aimed her slingshot right in between an approaching drow's eyes. She nailed her target, knocking him off the side of the building. Halberd pinged the other approaching drow. 

"They just keep coming, AP!" He lamented. "We're going to run out of stuff to launch!"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it! Just keep shooting!"

"Guys-" Caliber interrupted, staring upward in wide-eyed horror. "Look-"

A ghost moaned as he reached out for the trio with translucent hands. The kids stepped back until their heels hit the roof's ledge.

Alia tried to shoot the ghost with a rock, but it flew right through him. 

"Shit!" She spat.

"It's getting closer!" Halberd whimpered.

"No, really, dildo?"

"Shut up!" Caliber screamed. He held out his hands (one holding a salt-covered reed from the lake), and took a deep breath before muttering some strange chant. He formed a circle in mid air, creating a solid, but translucent force field around him and his cousins.

They screamed, startled, but calmed down once they realized the ghost was unable to reach them. He clawed and punched at the glowing blue barrier, yowling in frustration in his failed attempts to nab the trio.

"When the fuck did you learn to do that?" Alia asked, giving Caliber a thank you jab to the arm.

"QUIT IT!" The apprentice begged, struggling to maintain the force field. "It's a protection spell I experimented with a few months ago- and it requires absolute concentration!"

"Keep it up as long as you can!" Halberd insisted. "It might just save our asses!"

"ATTENTION HALLOWEEN TOWN!" A familiar voice raised above all the commotion. 

Upon hearing the announcement, the ghost floated away, leaving the trio for more important matters. Once he felt it was safe, Halberd ended the spell. The barrier disintegrated and he fell to his knees, drained of his energy.

Halberd helped him to his feet. "Dude, you're not totally worthless after all."

Caliber grinned. "Thanks."

Alia whistled. "Kiss later, boys! Something's going on down there!"

Gore, still nestled inside the scarecrow, stood on the fountain. His "puppets" clung to Edgar tightly, preventing him from making a move.

"EVERYONE STOP WHERE YOU ARE!" Gore ordered. 

The fighting ceased for the most part (Dusk and Wrath took two extra seconds to bash a few ghouls' heads together before lending their full attention). All eyes were on Gore and their defeated Pumpkin King.

"AS YOU CAN SEE-" Gore began, pointing towards Edgar. "I HAVE YOUR PRECIOUS KING IN MY CLUTCHES. HE FOUGHT LIKE A SNIVELING **BITCH **IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING! ANYWAYS, EDGAR SKELLINGTON WILL NOW BOW TO ME- THEN I WILL BE THE NEW PUMPKIN KING!" He clenched his fist, lifting six manhole covers off the ground and dangled them above his head. "IF ANYONE OBJECTS, **I'LL CRUSH HIS FUCKING SKULL IN**!"

"We'll risk it!" Dusk screamed, thrusting two purple energy orbs at Gore.

The poltergeist retaliated with three manhole covers. Two reflected the blast and the third bashed her in the head, knocking her out cold. 

With a bloody battle cry, Wrath immediately swooped down to avenge her. Gore launched the other three manholes. Wrath turned to stone before the first one hit his head, absorbing the blow as if the cover was a pillow. However, the next two managed to make contact before he could repeat the trick. The second one flew right into his stomach and the third, his face.

"Two points!" Gore cheered as the bat-like creature plummeted to the ground.

"BASTARD!" Edgar struggled to break his arm free, just to land one punch, but to no avail. "I'll get you for that if it's the last thing I- OMPH!"

Gore kicked him in the pelvic bone once again. "The only thing you're going to do is BOW!" 

Edgar gritted his teeth. The pain was so intense it made his eye sockets water. He cursed himself inwardly for insisting that each decoration scarecrow wear steel-toed boots. His legs wobbled, but he refused to bow.

Gore kicked him again. "You'll break eventually, you little shit! Admit it! I WON!" Again he kicked, but Edgar wouldn't bow.

Gore growled in frustration. "This hurts you a lot more than it hurts me, man!" He pulled his leg back for a final kick. He knew one more blow to the crotch would do the skeleton in. 

Suddenly, his pumpkin head was knocked clean off.

"Step off mudda fucka!" Trivette, armed with the crowbar shouted as he swung at the other scarecrows.

Suddenly, the town-wide brawl was back in session. Trivette led Edgar's supporters on as he swung his crowbar madly- beating the puppet scarecrows to straw-scattering messes. "That's for my hommie, be-otches!" He spat, panting at the lifeless heaps of cloth and smashed pumpkins. 

Now free, Edgar patted him on the back. "Thanks, dude. I owe you!" He said before yanking Gore to his feet by his shirt collar. "Now, who's the Pumpkin King?" He hissed, scowling.

Gore pushed him off. "I AM!"

He kicked Edgar in the torso, sending him flying backwards towards Town Hall's front stoop. Edgar landed on his back. He sat upright, shaking the dizziness from his skull. He looked forward to spot giant hole in the middle of the plaza. The Town Square fountain had been completely ripped out of the ground and now hovering above Gore's head. "No more pussy footing!" He shouted, body glowing brightly. "Say goodbye, asswhipe!"

Screams of shock and alarm were heard as he threw the fountain right at Edgar. The young skeleton clenched his eyes shut. He expected to be crushed into bone dust, but after a couple of seconds, he realized he was **not** double dead. Did he dare to open his eyes?

Yes, and to his relief, Kirk stood before him, struggling to hold the dislodged fountain above his head. The giant, now fully-grown slith dropped the fountain, allowing it to crumble at Gore's feet.

Gore felt as if he was shrinking as he stared up at the winged skull-faced demon. He wasn't sure if even his powers could tackle a beast like that. To his dismay, four other demons just like it swooped down onto the battlefield. Ripper, Skelter and Goethe began to throttle any creature that seemed to be a threat (Bill took the opportunity to round up the trio and fly them back to safety).

Edgar shook his head in confusion. He couldn't believe it. What Luck! He was so relieved he almost didn't notice the two ghouls jumping down from Kirk's back. One was a woman with long, wild hair- the lightest shade of brown Edgar had ever seen. She wore a formfitting green dress with black roses embroidered all over the fabric. The other ghoul was very tall with long dirty white hair and jet black eyes that appeared to have flame pupils.

The woman helped Edgar to his feet. "Run!" She ordered, pulling on his arm. "While Gore's distracted."

Edgar followed his rescuers as far as his legs could carry him. They lead him just beyond the outer boarders of the pumpkin patch. The taller of the two ghouls stopped first.

"Hold on, mates!" He begged, panting. He leaned his weight against a large pumpkin until he caught his breath. "I'm too old for a God damn marathon, Trixie!"

Edgar stared at the woman. No, it couldn't be the same Trixie! This Trixie had rotting blue skin with freckles and jade green, sunken in eyes. He looked downward at her cleavage. A large black Judas Priest crucifix nestled between her perky bosoms. "Trixie?"

She smiled, shifting uncomfortably. "Yeah, it's me."

"But how did-? When did you-? You're solid-"

"Yeah, it turns out banshees can maintain their corporeal form for twenty-four hours. It took me almost seven years to master the trick. I still can't get my body to look the way it did when I was alive, but a dead body is better than nothing. So, are you going to thank us or what?"

"Oh yes!" Edgar slapped his head. "Thank you, but how did you know about Gore?"

Trixie frowned. "I suspected he and Dixie would cause a shit load of havoc after a little birdie at last year's Bloodfest told me that Noogie was heading this way. They're so predictable."

Edgar sighed. "Let me guess..Gore's your brother?"

"Bingo."

"Dammit All!"

"I swear; I had nothing to do with this!" She insisted.

"This one is a sweat heart." The taller ghoul smiled at her. "Met her way back in eighty-six. I spent the whole concert keeping scumbags off her."

Edgar took a good look at the ghoul for the first time. His tan, rotting skin, reeking of formaldehyde, had disfiguring lines all over it. He was at least seven foot five if he was an inch and his hair fell to his shoulders in thick, messy clumps. He wore only a grubby grey t-shirt and ripped blue jeans. It wasn't until that all too familiar toothy grin formed on his face that Edgar knew.. 

"No..fucking..way..

"Edgar Skellington?" The corpse extended his massive hand. "Trixie tells me you're a fan."

"EDDIE THE FUCKING HEAD!" Edgar couldn't control his excitement. He gave his childhood hero a big bear hug. "I DON'T FUCKING BELIEVE THIS! EDDIE THE FUCKING HEAD- IN MY TOWN- HERE- IN FRONT OF ME! I **love** you Eddie! Everything your face on it, I own! I have a doll of you on my nightstand! I pay my barber extra to cut my hair like yours! I have every single Iron Maiden CD in existence! I have a steel plate in my head with you engraved on it!"

Eddie pried himself free from Edgar's embrace. "Piss off, would you? I'm flattered, really, but I-I'm just the mascot; nothing to get worked up over."

"Are you kidding?" Edgar cried. "Dude, you ARE Iron Maiden! Jeezy-freaking-H-creezy, I can't believe you actually exist. I mean, I can, I always did deep down, but-"

Eddie chuckled. "Oh yes, I exist. I'm one of the most well-kept secrets in the metal universe."

"But what are you doing here?" Edgar was forced to ask. "I mean, I'm stoked to have finally met you, but you're a fucking rock star. You should be on tour."

Eddie shrugged. "I..needed a little break. I wanted to, you know; give spooking the living a try- like a real ghoul. That and Trixie told me she needed to head this way- and I can't let her out of my sight for two seconds without-"

"I'm a big girl, Eddie, stop fussing." Trixie gave her old friend a hug. She had to jump to kiss his cheek.

Edgar's smile faded to a sad grin. It would figure a guy like Eddie would land a gem like her.

"I'm sorry about all that bullshit at Town Hall-"

"Good God, kid, I came all the way here for a little relaxation for _that_? What kind of bloody fucking Holiday world are you running?"

"It's not his fault" Trixie jumped to Edgar's side. "You know how those two are."

"Two bad apples and all that rot." Eddie ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "All right, Trixie, promise me you have everything under control."

"Everything's fine." She assured him.

"Then I'm off to visit my old man. Later your highness. Look after that girl or I'll fucking **mangle** you."

"You have my word-" He held up the metal salute. "Head bangers honor."

Eddie smiled then turned towards town. 

It was then Edgar noticed the stitching all over his arms, neck and across his forehead. He was about to ask Eddie a question, but he decided to let his idle walk on.

He turned to Trixie. "The stitches- Eddie's a _reanimated_ corpse?"

"He told me his "creator" lives in here in Halloween." She answered. "I just thought he was joking."

Edgar shook his head in disbelief. "No FUCKING way! There's no fucking way grandpa could have-"

"I hope poor Eddie doesn't get hurt out there. He's a big dude, but.. Man, I forgot top warn him about how star struck you get." She teased. 

"Oh shit..I-I didn't embarrass myself, did I?"

"Na, but I think you embarrassed him. Eddie is so talented, but too shy to ever show it. That's why he stays behind the scenes so often."

Edgar frowned. "I didn't mean to. He's just so fucking awesome."

Trixie nodded in agreement. "About Gore- I know how to stop him. Do you know anybody that's good with electronics and wiring?"

Edgar grinned. "I'm an expert. I've set up stereo systems you wouldn't believe."

"Good. Listen, because we're only going to get one shot at this..

a/n: WE LOVE YOU EDDIE! Eddie the head is property of Iron Maiden (who fucking rock). Dusk Kitsune is property of DuskKitsune88. Sorry for knocking her out. It just added to the drama. I haven't written any NBC fanfiction in a while, so I was dieing to crank this chapter out. Please review. Eddie will thank you. Rock on everyone. 

Oh, and to Douche Bag Rising (you know who you are)- Did your soccer coach trim his nails this week? 


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Exterminate

Chapter 25: Exterminate

Stial bashed a widow drone upside the head with the giant bug spray can, knocking him out cold.

She shrieked as another drone lashed out at her. Jewel jumped between them in the nic of time and blasted a huge cloud of insecticide spray in the widow's face. "One must have busted through the front door." The feminine Finklestein replica announced to the drow. "The kitchen was crawling with them. It won't be long before they storm the lobby and into the lab."

"My can is empty." Stial picked up the discarded container and shook it to her ear. "How do I refill it?"

"There's no time!" Jewel handed her a frying pan. "We can't let them reach the lab. Go upstairs and tell the doctor the bug spray won't hold up much longer. My can is still half-full. I'll cover you from down here."

Stial gave her a quick nod before racing up the spiral wheelchair ramp. Jewel aimed her spray can at the gaping hole in the wall. She braced herself for another fight. Though proportionally smaller than Sally, the reanimated Finklestein replica did have the advantage of size and durability on her side. The doctor designed her to be his intellectual equal, but physical superior. Jewel always savored the few chances she ever got to exploit that advantage.

A widow drone poked his head through, snarling. Jewel sprayed him right between his eyes. "Think of something, doc" She said aloud. "My lobe can only accomplish so much."

"That's right...just a bit further you ugly sons of- NOW!" Dr. Finkelstein cried.

Even with Igor, Gregor and the doctor's firepower, the blast of insecticide was only powerful enough to knock off the closest five drones crawling up the laboratory walls. As they fell, they knocked two more down with them. The twenty or so drones remaining quickly filled the gaps.

"They're getting closer, grandpa!" Gregor shivered as a flock of glowing red orbs stared up at him in rows of six. "They'll reach the observatory any second!"

"Quit jawing and gas them!"

"We can't see where aiming!" Igor argued.

"You don't have to." The doctor sneered at him. "Just aim downward and-"

"It's only stunning them." Gregor tightened his grip. "This formula is supposed to be industrial strength! What gives?"

"It wasn't meant for six-foot spiders, God dammit! Get off my damn back!"

"Doctor Finkelstein!" Stial called to him through the darkness. "Jewel and I are out of ammo!"

The doctor unleashed yet another dose of insecticide on the approaching drones. Three spider men screeched in agony as their grips slipped of the side of the lab. They plummeted to the ground below, hacking violently.

"SHIT!" The doctor spat as he pushed on the pump. No results. "Empty!" He tossed the can over the ledge, nailing a drone in the head. "Igor, use up what you have left! Everyone else, SHUT UP while I think."

The doctor rubbed his chin in thought. His face contorted under the pressure of the situation. He needed something that would paralyze or repulse the entire swarm at once, but what in his lab could pull off such a feat? Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Gregor's old guitar and amp. "Noise!"

"They're meaner than they are loud!" Gregor snapped.

"No, my boy, insects hate loud noise! The vibrations disorient them. Hook your guitar up to the amp and play something!"

Gregor blinked, dumbfounded. "What should I play?"

"Anything, just as long as the volume is cranked up to max!"

Stial dragged Gregor over to the amp and slapped the guitar in his arms.

"I still can't see."

Stial removed the crescent moon brooch resting on her chest and held it outward. It gave off a soft glow, just bright enough for Gregor to see his fingers against the frets. "Thanks" The rag doll plucked a few strings then twisted a few knobs on the head and amp and then plucked a few more."

Metallic notes blasted from the amp and echoed off the observatory walls. "The bugs- they scatter!" Igor cried, pointing towards the encroaching horde.

The doctor nodded with approval as a few widows froze, paralyzed by the noise. "Don't bother tuning it, just play!"

Gregor struck another chord. He wished AP was there beside him. She was always better at cranking out solos. He took a deep breath and began to pluck the strings rhythmically. At first, the guitar sang a high-pitched wail then a low roar.

The still responsive nerves in Gregor's fingertips tingled as they rapidly struck the five strings. The notes rippled through the air with striking mixtures of high and low tones. Though his fingers raced across the arm of his guitar, Gregor's solo did not sound choppy as they had in the past, but carried the same beauty and ferocity as the metal gods he idolized so faithfully. Gregor bit his lower lip, forcing himself to play faster. He intended to make every string on every fret count or lose all ten fingers trying.

"KEEP PLAYING!" The doctor shouted, though he never thought he would in a million years.

The solo seemed to do the trick. The drones dropped off the side of the laboratory like led weights, clutching the sides of their heads. The ones originally on the ground, tried to flee from the deafening racket, but in their frazzled state tripped over their fallen comrades and in the process.

Eddie's neck felt sore from looking around so much. Somehow, he remained unscathed and unnoticed as he walked down the hectic battle torn streets of Halloween Town. The citizens were too preoccupied with the uprising to pay the giant corporal man any attention. That suited Eddie just fine. After all, he was new to Halloween Town and decided it best to interfere as little as possible. Besides, Eddie's physical strength would only get him so far. The metal icon never did like to fight.

Finally, he spotted the laboratory and made his way towards the entrance. "This must be the place..." Eddie said aloud as he brushed his fingertips against the deactivated electric fence. "It screams science gone horribly wrong."

Before he could reach the door handle, something grabbed his arm and pulled him away. Eddie regained his bearings and struggled to pull free. "Piss off!" The metal mascot ordered the spider-like creature.

The widow drone hissed at him, flashing his fangs. "Get lost or I'll suck you dry!" He warned. "We claim this fortress in the name of Matriarch!"

Eddie kneed the drone in the abdomen. "I watch a lot of Discovery channel programs on the tour bus, all right, mate? I know you're not venomous. Now shoo before I kick your bloody fucking jowls in." He reached for the handle once again, but fumbled when the cry of a guitar solo filled the air.

Eddie jumped, startled as the drone he just tangled with and about twelve others ran or rather staggered away, screaming in pain. It was then he noticed the giant hole knocked in the side of the laboratory. Several drones burst through the hole to join the others in retreat. In behind them emerged a familiar face on an unfamiliar body.

"That's right, RUN!" The woman shouted, shaking her fist at the drones as they fled.

"You should really hire an exterminator." Eddie said to her. He chuckled nervously. "Someone could get hurt."

Jewel looked to Eddie as if she had known him for years. "Hello Edward" She greeted him, short of breath and wobbling as she dusted debris from her light blonde hair. "I hear you're in a band now?"

"How did-? Who are-? Does someone named Finklestein work here?"

"I'm him" She held out her hand. "Well, part of him. The other part is upstairs in the observatory." She motioned for him to step through the hole. "Come upstairs and say hi." She offered.

Within the boundaries of Skellington Manor's front gate, Trixie paced around the front yard as Edgar tinkered with what looked to be a transformer placed inside a synthetic jack-o-lantern. He knelt on one knee, cutting replacing and redirecting wires with tools Trixie couldn't name in a million years.

Edgar held out his hand. "Alligator clips, please."

Trixie cocked her head. "What?"

"You know, the little clampie things."

"Right!" Trixie rummaged through a rusty tackle box until she spotted. Once in her grasp, she handed Edgar the set alligator clips. "You're pretty handy aren't you?"

"I like to take things apart. It's been a while so bare with me" Edgar's hand flinch as sparks flew from the jack-o-lantern. His expression hardened. "If my reign as pumpkin king last long enough to justify retirement, I might try electrician's work when I step down."

Trixie looked over Edgar's shoulder. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"I designed this town wide speaker system myself thirteen years ago for the Halloween Finale of my inauguration. Sometimes their used for emergencies, but I usually just use them to annoy. I've rocked these streets to hell and back over the years with these babies." The nostalgic grin that had formed on Edgar's became a sober frown. "The only jack-o-lanterns still activated are in the pumpkin patch just like you instructed. You failed to mention how we're supposed to defeat Gore with them though."

"Oopse." Trixie inwardly scolded herself for being so scatterbrained. "You see, Gore died on tour during a stage accident. He got plastered one night and thought the other roadies were plotting to get him fired behind his back, so he sabotaged one of the spotlights. It was meant to fall on one of the other crewmembers, but as he was setting up the drums, the spotlight fell, nailed him in the shoulder, and caused him to pass out against one of the giant speakers. It fell right on top of him and cracked his skull open like a walnut."

Edgar snickered. "I'm sorry. I know he's your family."

Trixie smirked. "No it's okay. I laughed when I heard the story too. Dixie and I never let him live it down."

"Maybe you should have. Then he might not be here right now tearing apart Halloween."

Trixie's smirk faded. "The spotlight might have knocked Gore out, but the speaker is what crushed him. A poltergeist has power over all objects except for ones directly connected with their death. If you knock him over the head with a speaker while he's weakened, you should be able to trap his ectoplasmic spirit inside the object." "Reverse my spirit summoning capabilities...Fucking-A!" Edgar stood and gave Trixie a hug. "You're a genius!"

"Na, I just spent a lot of time learning how to work my siblings." She pried herself from his boney grip and smoothed down her hair and clothes. "Speaking of which, I owe Dixie a little visit too, but I can't fly to Oogie's casino in this form."

Edgar smirked. "I got you covered." He whistled towards his roof where Bill still perched himself, faithfully guarding the trio and the baby twins. "BILL! CALL SKELTER OVER HERE!"

"Let us down from here, Uncle Ed!" Halberd begged.

"The view is making me nauseous!" Caliber added.

"Quit your bitching!" Edgar scolded them. "You're safe aren't you? I don't here Rage and Ire complaining!"

"They're in diapers!" Alia spat. "They don't-"

The trio cried out, covering their ears as Bill let out a blood-curdling screech.

Moments later, Skelter swooped into view. He landed just a little too close to the front gate for Edgar's liking. "There" Edgar motioned for Trixie to climb aboard. "Hardly first class transportation, but it'll do in a pinch."

"Thanks Ed. Remember, don't call Gore out up front. Lure him to you. You'll have the upper hand in the pumpkin patch. He can't possess plants."

"Got it. Be careful when you get to Oogie's. If you see my parents tell them what's going on and that I'm coming for them as soon as I can."

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheekbone. "I will. Look after yourself." Trixie used Skelter's spiked tail as a stairway to his back. The slith grunted towards the sky before taking flight once again.

For a brief moment, Edgar stood, silent, wearing a dopey grin on his face, but he quickly shook off the grin and returned his attention to the situation at hand. "Bill!" He addressed the slith. "Whatever you do, don't let the kids out of your sight! If Gore comes looking for me, point him in my direction!"

Bill flapped his wings in agreement.

The trio's stomachs sank. "You're going to take that ghost on by yourself, Uncle Ed?" Alia asked.

"I have to! He's got to go before I can fix any damage around here!"

"Good luck!" The trio shouted in unison.

Edgar took a deep breath for courage before racing off towards the pumpkin patch.

Gregor's solo ended with an animalistic shriek. The aftermath of string vibrations hummed off the amp.

"You did it, my boy! They're scattering like roaches down there!"

Gregor laughed as he dropped his guitar. His arms never felt so sore. "I think I might need another wrist reattachment."

Stial trapped him in a big bear hug. "You did it!" She cheered.

"Yeah...I did...I really did!"

"Switch on the lights, Igor." The doctor ordered, placing his glasses back on his face. "It's over."

Little by little, the lab became illuminated, not that it was ever bright enough to meet any safety regulations. "That felt great!" Gregor declared, throwing a metal salute in the air.

"That sounded great." Everyone's head turned as Jewel entered the observatory with an enormous corporeal man standing beside her. "Hello all." He greeted them warmly, flashing Stial a wink. He looked to Gregor, a bit shocked, but impressed. "So _you_ were the one cranking out that bitchin' solo"

"Y-y-yes..."

"You have talent, kid. Don't ever put that guitar down."

Stunned, Gregor stared up at the metal icon with unblinking eyes. "You're...You're..."

"Ah, Edward my boy! The doctor rolled up to corpse wearing a warm smile. "How is the afterlife treating you?"

Eddie shrugged. "I've had my ups and my downs. They call me Eddie now a days. Eddie the Head actually, but that's a bit wordy."

"What brings you here, Eddie?" The doctor corrected himself. "You missed Halloween by a few months."

"Just thought I drop by, do a little sight seeing in this holiday world I've heard so much about, but it seems I've come at a bad time."

The doctor nodded. "You couldn't have picked a worst time for a visit, but it's nice to hear from you after all these years."

That famous toothy grin formed on Eddie's face. "Likewise, doc." He laughed. "I see you've kept busy. The female specimens hold together nicely, but personal touch is a bit unsettling. For a split second, I thought you had a sex change or something!" He gave Jewel a respectful bow. "No offense."

She shrugged. "We get that a lot."

"Every artist has his signature." The doctor added. "I've perfected the reanimation process, my boy." He looked to Jewel and Gregor with pride. "This is Gregor, my youngest grandson and my finest work yet. My oldest, I did not have the pleasure of constructing."

"Wait!" Gregor interrupted, pointing at Eddie. "You, Eddie the Head- of Iron Maiden, Eddie the Head, are one of _his_ creations? How?"

"You don't think your mother was the only corpse I ever brought back to life did you? It took me a lifetime and then some to master the reanimation experiment."

"Well...?"

The doctor smirked. "I constructed Edward in, oh I believe it was 1973 or 4, my memory is a bit fuzzy- back when I fled to Poland to escape arrest in America. Some bullshit malpractice charge. Spent years researching and experimenting. I was so close to completing the big project when some asshole feds raided my lab. You mutilate a rabbit beyond all recognition and everyone is fine with it but you scramble a human brain or two and all of a sudden, you're a homicidal quack!"

Gregor shook his head in disbelief. "You're a sick bastard."

Eddie chuckled, patting Gregor on the back. "True, but he's our sick bastard."

"Anyways-" The doctor continued. "The reanimation process requires a different approach in the real world, but in Halloween, I'm less limited to the laws of physics. Setbacks aside, Edward was a success. Strong as an ox and no mental glitches-"

"I wouldn't say that, but I've held up nicely over the years." Eddie leaned against the wall, lowering his head in thought. "I was blown to pieces by cannon fire in Nam." He explained. "A crooked paramedic must have collected my organs and sold them over the black market or something because the next thing I remember after the blast was seeing the interior of some creepy lab, hell it was more like a basement, through a jar of formaldehyde."

"What are you whining about? I preserved your memories and the majority of your original skin and limbs!"

"But, how did you join Iron Maiden?" Gregor interrupted.

"Well..." Eddie winced. "Needless to say I freaked right the fuck out after your grandfather here reattached my head to my shoulders and all my senses kicked in. I was a bloody horror movie monster for fuck's sake- not to mention totally confused. So, after going on a spiraling rampage-"

"I still have most of the equipment you broke" The doctor teased.

"_-_I finally calmed down long enough for the doctor to explain where I was how I got in his lab and what exactly he did to me. That sent me on another spiraling rampage-"

"I still have the scar"

"Long story short- I was shipped back to England where my best mate, Derek, took me in. Loony bastard was always into weird stuff. Demons, ghouls and all that rot. He was terrified of me at first. Didn't recognize me at all, but after we talked awhile over a stiff drink, it was as if I had never been shot and sewn back together. He told me a bunch of his buddies were forming a band and Derek asked if I would be willing to pose for the album art. I didn't have much else to do- career options are very limited for the dead community in the real world- so I said sure and the rest is history."

Gregor chuckled nervously. "Edgar would go ape shit if he could see you right now."

Eddie smirked. "Believe me, kid, I know. You would have thought I was the second coming of Christ or something with the way he acted." He shook his head. "I don't understand it. All I do is stand around and look frightening while someone paints me. It gets dull after awhile."

"Being scary is harder than it looks." Gregor shifted uncomfortably. "My dad tries to teach me the trade every day, and I still haven't gotten it right." He froze, mortified. "Dad! Mom! They're still-"

"I know, my boy. We'll figure something out. Igor! What's going on outside?"

Igor looked over the grounds below through a telescope. "The spiders' left, master. They through front gate already."

"What about all the other nut cases in Town Square?" Gregor asked anxiously.

Igor adjusted the lens. "Drow and goblins are pulling back" He announced.

"It must have scared the others when they saw the widow swarm retreat." Stial jumped, excited. "We tricked them into surrender!"

Everyone but Gregor and Dr. Finklestein cheered in triumph.

"Now that the streets are free of those thugs, someone needs to search the town for casualties." The doctor instructed.

"I'll go." Eddie offered. "It's the least I can do."

"I have to find my Trivette" Stial added.

Igor stepped forward. "And I carry back wounded for treatment."

The doctor nodded in approval. "Very well. What about you, Gregor?"

Gregor's face lit up. "You mean-?"

"You may look for Edgar, but **stay close to the others**."

Gregor gave his grandfather a thank you hug then followed the hodgepodge search party out the door.

Dr. Finklestein rolled over to his workbench and began to organize his equipment in preparation for the medical rush surely to come. He glancing over his shoulder at his female counterpart. "You're missing all the action staying behind, you know."

Jewel snickered. "I'll pass on action for now. We're short handed around here as it is. It's a mess out there- and it's going to get messier."

The doctor chuckled. "Aw, If only that were a theory and not a fact."

a/n: Holy shit! I've been putting this chapter off for so long! I am going to finish this fic if it freaking kills me. It's not helping that I keep posting chapters with a shit load of dialog that leads to nowhere. There will be much more action next chapter. Hopefully I will wrap this up within two chapters or so. Thanks for anyone who didn't forget about War of Nightmares. We all know my Eddie the Head origin story is bull and totally made up, but it was fun playing around with his character in the Nightmare Before Christmas universe. Please review and you will receive much love and a fresh supply of plutonium. Later everyone, rock on!


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Small Victories

Thicket cried out as a mob of black widow drones shoved past her, knocking her into Hatchet. They stood at the edge of the witches community, stareing dumbstruck as the widows along with the other rogue ghouls, goblins and ghosts fled the streets. When they all became just blurs in the distance Hatchet threw his hat in the air and cheered "WE WON!"

He picked Thicket up by her waste and spun her off the ground. They shared a hardy, triumphant laugh until Hatchet realized how ridiculous he looked. He dropped his sister to her feet. Exhaling an embarrassed cough, he smoothed down his robes and retrieved his hat. "They're gone. We better check everyone to make sure no one was trampled."

Thicket followed him towards the public caldron. "I can't believe it." Her smile quickly faded. "What made them retreat?"

Hatchet froze. "Don't know. Maybe we should head for town square first and find out incase _we_ need to flee too."

The Halloween citizens danced with relief to be rid of the rioting horde. They exchanged high fives, threw their clawed fists in the air and cheered to the rising jack-o-lantern sun. That morning they were victorious.

"YEEE-HA!" Hester do-se-doed with her father in the center of the dragon fountain wreck. She and Torr belly bumped. "We beat 'em!" The Behemoth declared.

"We sure did!" Hester wiped some grime off her forehead. "Everyone took off after them widows fled Ol' Finklestein's lab." She looked to the observatory, scratching beneath her bandanna. "Wonder what spooked 'em so bad?"

"We we hoping you knew!" Thicket ran up to the she-scare crow, dragging a heavily panting Hatchet behind her. "Did you see what happened?"

"Na. I'll be damned if I know anything'." Hester admitted. "Either way, I ain't complainin'."

"Maybe you're not, girly, but _I_ am." Satan kicked over some debris with his hoof. "Fucking lunatic ghosts ripped half my roof off!"

"My florists shop's been ransacked of all my nightshade!" The Harlequin monster lamented with a busted flower pot in his claws, head tendrils drooping.

"Punks busted through my butcher shop too!" The wolfman growled.

"They raided my bar!" Mr. Hyde shouted, his third hat self shaking his fists.

"They poked out my eye!"

Town Square erupted in a chorus of grievances.

"HOLD IT!" Hatchet ordered. "We can repair damaged property later. Right now we have to search the town for the injured."

The townsfolk began to mutter irritably amongst themselves.

"**You heard warlock**!" The Behemoth roared, thrusting his axe forward. "**Get movin'**!"

Tor's deep, ghoulish voice sprung everyone into action.

Eddie and Igor pried open the heavy iron door to the observatory entrance. Gregor followed them into town square. They were appalled, but not shocked by how much damage Gore's minions left behind. Gregor turned for the cemetery gate. Igor grabbed him by the shirt. "Where you going?" he asked sternly.

"I'm going to find mom, dad and Edgar."

"Whoa whoa whoa, mate." Eddie motioned for him to halt. "You don't want to do that. You're brother is in the pumpkin patch facing off with a mad poltergeist and your parents are in Oogie's Casino."

Gregor's eyes widened with dread. "Why didn't you mention that before?!" he cried.

Eddie backed away. "I- we were fighting off the spider things and-"

"Never mind." Gregor started to stomp off, but Igor held him back.

"No you don't!" Eddie scolded him. "You're just a kid. You can't help them. You're better off helping out here in town square."

Gregor glared up at the giant corpse. "I am **sick** of you guys telling me that! Stay out of my way or-"

"Greg, that you?" Hester ran over to him with Thicket at her side, faces contorted in a scowl.

Gregor instinctively jumped behind Igor, who instinctively stepped to the side, leaving the young rag doll vulnerable to their fury.

"You better have a damn good explanation fer not staying in Christmas town like we told ya!"

"What were you thinking?" Thicket added. "You little brats are in for-"

"Hey now, give the lad a break." Eddie begged in Gregor's defense. "If it weren't for him Halloween town would still be under attack."

Thicket glared up at the metal mascot. "And who are you supposed to be?"

"He's a friend." Gregor assured her.

"The name Eddie the head mean anything to you?" Eddie flashed her a frisky grin.

"Not one damn bit in a situation like this, sir." Hester answered for her before looking to Gregor, still quite furious. "I wanna know who's idear was it."

"It was mine, all right? Don't be mad at the guys. I- we just wanted to help."

Hester's expression softened as the rag doll began to tear up. "Oh, its okay." She embraced him in a hug. She couldn't stay at him, or Halberd for that matter.

Thicket held her hat over her face and sighed. "I'm not mad either." She confessed. "He's under enough stress with Jack and Sally in Oogie's clutches."

Hester gasped as Gregor squeezed her midsection tightly. "WHAT?"

"Oogie has the Skellingtons?" Hester cried, prying the shocked rag doll off her.

"Yes and our tricky trio went after them." Thicket confirmed.

"You just let them go?"

"There was no talking them out of it!" Thicket barked defensively. "We can get to the casino by broomstick. Come on."

Thicket hopped on her broom and motioned for Hester to climb aboard. Gregor made a jump for it, but Thicket kicked it into the air.

"Aw come on! Take me with you!"

"No way, Greg. You stay put."

"But-"

"No buts! There's only room for three and Hatchet's already booked for the flight."

"You help Mr. Head in Town square." Hester ordered. With that, they took to the air and disappeared into the foggy morning sky.

"Fuck!" Gregor kicked the guillotine.

"Now enough of that." Eddie scolded. "You search that way; I'll search this way. We meet back in front of the Dr. Finklestein's lab in thirty minutes, got it?"

Gregor nodded. "Yes Mr. Head." he grumbled.

"That's Eddie to you!" He pointed to the clock on Town Hall. "And I'm keeping the time!"

Alia squinted towards the horizon where her mother and Hester's silhouette could be seen flying against the rising jack-o-lantern son on broomstick. "MOM! MOOOM! GET US DOWN!" Her cries went unheard. "DAMN IT!"

Halberd snickered. "All mouth and no volume."

Alia kicked him in the shin, nearly knocking him off the roof. Caliber grabbed him by his blue jeans and pulled. Lacking the physical strength to pull him upright, Caliber nearly slipped over the edge with him. Thankfully Bill caught the hood of his robe. "Watch it!" It scolded the young witch.

"Like a fall from this height could crack open their thick skulls." She sneered sarcastically. "You gonna let us down or what, ugly?"

"Edgar's orders were to keep you in my sight."

"You can watch us on the ground can't you?" Caliber smiled innocently. His cousins mimicked him.

Bill shook its head no. "You'll make a run for it and I can't fly and hold these two at the same time." He held up the slumbering baby Rage and Ire.

The trio groaned in unison. It looked as if they would be stuck on the roof of Skellington manner for quite awhile.

Gregor proceeded towards the alleyway, picking up garbage cans and sweeping up broken glass as best he could. Not paying attention to his footing, he turned the corner, stepping on something long and furry. Gregor jumped, startled as something groaned in pain underneath him. He looked down to find Dusk barely conscious on the cobblestone path. "Oh no!" He knelt down beside her and held her uoright. "Dusk? Dusk! Are you all right?"

Dusk put a paw to her aching head and yelped. A nasty bump throbbed at the touch. "W-what happened?" Her eyes burst open and her posture straightened. "Scratch that! I remember! Oooh, when I find that bastard Gore, I'm going to launch an energy blast right through his-" The fox-demon stumbled, still too weary to walk straight.

Gregor offered to let her lean. "What happened? Is Edgar all right?"

Dusk shook her head. "Last time I saw Edgar was when Wrath and I jumped in to-" She paused. A sinking feeling settled in her stomach. "Wrath! Is he all right?" The kitsune took off across the street, sniffing in search for her fallen husband.

"Wait!" Gregor ran after her, but by the time he caught up Dusk had already located Wrath beneath a pile of trash cans and manhole covers. They immediately began to dig him up. "Oh please let him be okay. Please please please-" Dusk prayed aloud as she knelt beside him and held him upright.

"He's not-?"

Dusk shook her head no. "But he took a nasty blow to the noggin. Grab his feet, Gregor. I'll grab his arms and we'll carry him to your grandfathers."

Gregor took his position at Wrath's feet. "Okay. On three. One…two…Three!"

They exhaled grunts in unison as they hoisted Wrath's lifeless bulk off the ground. They managed to haul him around the corner fairly easily until the first rays of the morning jack-o-lantern sun hit his hide. Suddenly he became incredibly heavy and dropped from Dusk and Gregor's grip like a boulder.

Gregor held in the urge to scream as Wrath's head fell right on his foot. "What happened?" He asked, clutching his shattered arch.

"Morning." Dusk sighed, tapping her knuckles against his cold, cracked chest. "He'll be solid stone until sundown."

"Aw jeezey! How are we supposed to carry him to the lab now?"

"Perhaps I can help?" Eddie approached them with a timid grin. He grabbed the gargoyle/ vampire mix from under his arms. "You two take a leg each."

"Oh thank you…um-"

"Eddie the Head." The metal mascot introduced himself to the fox demon, flashing his toothy trademark grin. "Just arrived yesterday."

"Dusk. Thank you, Eddie"

"Don't mention it, love. Can't have a foxy thing like you throwing her back out." He looked to the frozen gargoyle. "Who's this bloke? Your cousin?"

"My husband."

"Oh…" Eddie frowned, disappointed. "The British charm only works on American girls anyways."

Dusk had too much on her mind to acknowledge the corpse's comments. She scolded herself for staring; one because it's rude and two because she feared she would drop her poor petrified husband again, but Eddie the Head? Edgar would never shut up about this one. "Edgar! Gore- did he-"

"Edgar's in one piece." Eddie assured her. "He's facing off with Gore in the pumpkin patch as we speak."

Gregor swallowed a lump in his throat. "D-does he have a chance? Be honest."

"His best shot would be in the pumpkin patch." Dusk replied. "Gore's the bloody poltergeist responsible for half the strange bullshit that's been happening here lately."

"And that Oogie bugger is responsible for the second half, no doubt." Eddie added. "Heard some nasty thing 'bout that creature."

"Poltergeist can't manipulate plants." Dusk continued. "Even still, Edgar might need back up."

"Go." Gregor begged. "Eddie and I will look after Wrath."

"You sure you can carry him the rest of the way? It's a long uphill trek to the observatory."

"Grandpa gave me a strong back."

Dusk smiled. "All right." She knelt into a starting position. "Wish me luck!" With that she dashed off towards the pumpkin patch at lighting speed."

"Good luck!" Gregor shouted after her. He looked away, obviously troubled.

"Keep your chin up, Gregor. I got a feeling your brother is tougher than you give him credit for."

"Really?"

Eddie nodded. "That and Gore is not the big shot he's convinced himself he is. Bastard used to be a stage hand for Maiden back in the day. What a punk."

"Whoa, really?" Gregor chuckled.

Eddie smiled. "Let this batty bloodsucker guy down gently." He instructed. "Have to pry this damned iron door open again."

A/n: Oh…meh garsh! I actually updated! This chapter was originally called "Edgar v. Gore" and was much longer and more exciting, but my fucking computer fucking died on me the other fucking month before I could finish editing this fucking chapter and I had to type this fucking chapter all the fuck over again! Fucker!

Anyways, I have not lost interest in the Nightmare Before Christmas, my fan world for it or these chapters. I just wound up dabbling in other fan fics for a while and got caught up with work and school and the next thing I knew, it was a year and no updates. Sorry about that. This story WILL be finished and I hoping so by Halloween because I have plans for NBC. Big plans. Okay, just a fic in comic form, but I'm looking forward to drawing it.

The next two chapters will be more exciting. Promise. Until then, thanks for anyone still reading. A special thanks to Dusk_Kitsune88, creator of the character, Dusk. Lost touch with her for a while, but I'm always happy to hear from her. Hear that Kat! I miss ya! Hmm…maybe I'll bug you on DA ~wink~

Another special thanks to LivingHorror, who has taken the time to write a fanfic including my characters, Hal', Cal' and AP (among others). Please, give Hitting Teen Years a read. I guarantee you'll laugh at least once a chapter. Again, thanks for reading and please review so I know you're still out there.

Later everyone! Rock on ^^


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Edgar v. Gore

Quickly, cautiously, Edgar searched the pumpkin patch for the one still activated speaker. The scorched soil crunched beneath his feet. He made a conscious effort to tread lightly. He had to listen out for Gore. He couldn't let his own creeping drown anything out. _"What a waste."_ He thought looking around at the scattered remains of burned pumpkins. _"Barrel's going to be pulling double over time from now until October."_

He took at left at the Behemoth's tool shed. The damage seemed less severe the farther inward he ventured. More pumpkins remained in the ground in tact. That's great for the jack-o-lantern harvest, but bad for Edgar who had to distinguish between the speaker and the real pumpkin.

The air fell silent. No wind, no Who who calls 'who's there?', no crows squawking, barn rats scurrying, nothing. The silence was oppressive. Edgar's bones tensed at the joints. "I know you're out here, you dirty fucker." He grumbled, eye sockets constantly scanning the surrounding area.

_"He's following me." _Edgar could tell. The temperature dropped suddenly, as it always did when ghosts and spirits drifted about, but different forms of apparitions cool the air at different temperatures. King ghosts, ghasts and some shades were known to even raise temperatures. Jack had taught Edgar at a young age which ghosts effected the air temperature and by how much. He chuckled inwardly. _"And I never thought that lesson would be put to good use."_

Edgar quickened his pace just a bit. He had to get to the pumpkin speaker before Gore caught up to him. Surrounded by plants or not, Gore still had the upper hand. Edgar couldn't turn invisible and he couldn't fly.

_"Where the fuck did I install it? I should have spotted it by now. Why did I insist they all be painted orange? I couldn't have made this one yellow- fuck even a blue Australian pumpkin would have worked, but nooo, they had to be orange!"_ Edgar kicked himself mentally. _"At least if I can't spot it right away neither can G_- OMPH!"

Not watching his footing, Edgar tripped right over a very large pumpkin. He landed face first in the dirt. "Oh my!" An alarmed jack-o-lantern face appeared on the large pumpkin. He outstretched its vines to Edgar and pulled him off the ground. "Do be careful, young pumpkin king."

"Sorry, Great Pumpkin. Didn't see you there." Edgar apologized, brushing the mud from his jacket and knees. "We should really tie a bell to your stem."

"Jack tried that, remember? And you still manage to trip over me." The age old patch guardian laughed. "You were a clumsy prince who grew up to be a clumsy king."

Edgar inspected the Great Pumpkin's rich orange skin. "I didn't bruise you or kick a hole in your side, did I?"

"No, no damage done. I should have warned you when you came too close, but I was distracted. On the lookout myself, you know. Vandals set fire to some of the seedlings near the entrance."

"Yes, I heard. I'm terribly sorry."

"It was out of your control." The Great Pumpkin wore a mournful frown. "Angela and her crew put out the flames, but you never know who's lurking in the trees. Some of the wild pumpkins in the forest are on watch."

"Tell your wild ones I'm putting a stop to this madness **today**."

The Great Pumpkin raised a brow at him. "Alone?"

"This is my fight. Everyone else has their own problems to deal with in town. You haven't spotted any strange spirits drifting through this area, have you?"

"I thought I saw someone near the patch maze, but I searched the perimeter and spotted no one."

Edgar's eye sockets widened. _The maze! I installed the speaker at the maze entrance!_ "You haven't seen Angela nearby have you?"

"Not recently. I have no idea where she went. Shall I send her to you?"

"No. Search for her, but when you find her, leave the pumpkin patch. I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"What about you?"

"What about me? I'll be fine. Just get going."

The great pumpkin turned, pulling himself along the ground by his vines like an octopus. "Yes, you're highness. Sock the culprit one good for me." He waved a vine. "I'd like to do it, but no fists."

Edgar laughed. "Will do." With that, they departed.

Edgar ran as fast as his boney feet could carry him. He spotted the long winding mesh of rotted wooden fence post and fallen trees that made up the pumpkin patch maze over the next hill. Just outside the entrance was a sign hammered into the ground that read "BARREL'S MAZE" in sloppy orange paint (Barrel claimed the maze his at age 11 because he found his way through it faster than any lumpling in town. Or so he claimed. Truth was, he was the only one to time himself). Sure enough a plastic jack-o-lantern with a familiar scowl sat beneath it.

_"Yes! Found it!" _Wearing a big skeleton grin, Edgar reached down to snatch the pumpkin speaker. His boney fingertips were an eighth of an inch away from it when someone tapped his shoulder.

Edgar cried out, startled as he quickly spun around. Angela stood before her, straw hat tilted just enough to cast a shadow over her eyes. Edgar held his ribs, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thank God, it's just you, Angela. You scared the crap out of me."

"Sorry about that."

"No problem." He turned to grab the speaker. "You might want to make yourself scarce. The poltergeist and I are about to have it out and I don't want you to get- **OMPH**!" A plank of wood pried from the nearby fence bashed him across the face as he turned around.

Edgar dropped the speaker instantly. Skull pounding, he popped his jaw into place. "What was that for?" He roared.

"Jesus, you're slow." Angela laughed.

Edgar's eye sockets widened. Angela's lost lacked her country drawl. This was no Angela that he knew. "Gore, you coward! Get out of her body and face me fair and square!"

"Who are you calling a coward? You're the one trying to sucker me into a hellish limbo inside this stupid thing!" He kicked the speaker into the maze.

Edgar jumped for it, but it flew just beyond its reach. He glared at the possessed scare-crow, pointing. "Only one of us is walking out of this pumpkin patch and it **isn't **going to be **you.**" He warned. "I don't care whose body you use to fight with."

"We'll see about that!" Gore threw Angela's fist forward, landing a solid punch.

Edgar grabbed him by her wrist and twisted it behind her back as far as he could without snapping her limb off. He thanked the Celts Angela was built so sturdy. "Let her go!"

"Bite me!" He jerked her head back, slamming it against Edgar's face. Unfortunately, her cloth head didn't inflict much damage.

Edgar twisted a bit harder. "Release her this instant!"

Gore stomped on his foot, hard. Edgar's grip loosened just slightly. Gore elbowed him the ribs, freeing himself.

Edgar kicked Gore in the back, sending Angela's body tumbling down the hill. He took the opportunity to run through the maze in search of the speaker. Gore quickly regained his footing and went after him.

Edgar leapt over a gnarled, fallen tree. He looked around the second he landed and couldn't make heads or tails of his surroundings. "Lost already. Damn it all!" He cursed aloud, combing the ground for the pumpkin speaker. He peered around the trunk of a withered oak. There it was, sitting on the path in plain view and in tact.

"Yes!" Edgar was about to make a run for it, but paused. He could hear the crunching of leaves beneath a pair of work boots. He pressed his back against the tree trunk, making himself as tall and slim as he could. He peeked over his shoulder. Gore was heading his way. Cautiously, he pulled one of the lower branches back. Gore must of heard him. He turned for the tree.

Edgar waited until Gore came close enough and released the branch. It smacked Angela's head right off her shoulders. Edgar winced at the explosion of cloth an leaves. "Sorry, Ange!"

Gore stumbled about with a headless body for only a moment, then decided it best to leave the scare crow and fight in his apparitional form. "Flimsy fucking puppets!" He spat, lifting himself from Angela's body, which fell limp to the ground. He looked behind the tree, but Edgar had already snuck off. "Little bastard! What kind of aristocrat are you?!"

"One that's about to kick your ass!" Gore heard the pumpkin king shout in the distance. He whisked down the path after him.

Edgar breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the poltergeist float deeper into the maze from behind a pumpkin man. He had managed to throw his voice successfully, a nifty little trick he usually saved for Halloween. Hopefully it had bought him enough time to retrieve Angela's head and the speaker.

He took another look up and down the path. No sign of Gore. Edgar made a crawl for it. He snatched Angela's head and straw hat from the side of the path and hid her beneath a dieing pricker bush. Luckily for him she was still unconscious. "I'm so sorry, but I had no choice." He explained, placing her hat over her face. "I'll put you back together, I swear. Just **please **don't tell the family."

Edgar spotted the pumpkin speaker still in the middle of the road. "Yes! Gore missed it!" He made a mad dash down the dirt road. The coast was clear. He would make it for sure, or so he thought.

A long section of fence ripped from the ground and slammed down in front of him. Edgar tried to stop, but his shoes slid on the dirt and he tripped over the fence, landing just an arms length beyond the speaker. Gore appeared, grinning down at him. "Nice try."

He yanked Edgar to his feet by his tie. Before Edgar had a chance to shove him away, Gore wrapped the segment of fence around Edgar's skeleton frame. Gore dropped him to the ground, laughing in triumph.

Edgar tried to squirm free, but it was no use. He was trapped like a rat in a coiled snake. Gore held the speaker to his face in spite.

"What to do now…?" Gore pondered aloud, spinning the speaker on his pointer finger like a basket ball. "Well, first things first I'm going to melt this." He stretched his spindly translucent fingers towards another segment of the maze fence, ripping it from the ground. He drew the lumber towards him. The pile stopped in mid air a few feet from where he hovered. Gore clenched his fingers into a tight fist. The wood instantly fell to the ground in a neat pyramidal pile and burst into flames.

"You're a pyromancer?"

"Close. I used to dabble in pyrotechnics back in 84." Gore boasted.

Edgar cursed the poltergeist inwardly. Why did his arch enemy have to be that much cooler than him, damn it? "Okay, dud, you beat me. Good for you. What's your plan now?"

Gore shrugged. Every action movie he had ever seen told him it was unwise to explain an evil plot to the enemy, but what the hell? Edgar would be bone dust in four seconds anyways. "The Boogie brothers are going to force Halloween into submission then place me on the pumpkin king throne. Not complicated, but it's a sweet deal."

"Oogie Boogie _did_ put you up to this! Dude, he's a cheat and a con artist. He'll double-cross you the second the opportunity strikes."

"Duuh! No shit, kid! I figured that out after two days of working with Noogie. Once I'm in charge those sacks of shit are history." Gore tossed the speaker into the fire.

Edgar stared in horror as the flames consumed it. It wouldn't take long for it to melt in that heat. Then what hope would he have? No. He refused to say die. "What then?"

Gore twitched in irritation. "What then? I'll be in charge! The Boogie Brothers will be welcome mats in my palace. Dixie will become a duchess or something. Those peons you call the frightful will wait on me hand and foot. I'll be able to go wherever I want whenever I want. I'll never have to answer to another soul again! For the first time in my life, I'll be free!"

Edgar burst out laughing.

Gore kicked him in the temple. "What's so God damn funny?"

"You, bo-tard!" Edgar laughed harder. "You honestly think you can be free and be king at the same time?"

Gore shifted uncomfortable. "Well, yeah! I'll be the boss of myself and everyone else around me. How much more free can I get?"

"Oogie duped you good, dude. Yeah, you'll be the boss and as the boss you have obligations to this holiday."

"Like what?"

"Nightmare Rank just to start off. This holiday world thrives on human fear. You have to organize the frightful and let them loose in the real world every Halloween and scare as many humans as you can. If nightmare rank drops too far too many years in a row, this world will crumble into oblivion." Edgar cracked a skeleton grin. "The Boogie brothers never mentioned that, did they?"

"You're bluffing!"

"Am not; but it doesn't matter. You'll never be the pumpkin king."

Gore outstretched his arm once again, drawing a large rock into his clutches. "After I crush your skull in I will be!."

Suddenly an ear-splitting screech shook the pumpkin patch from overhead. Gore shuddered as heavy gust of wind blow through him. A massive winged skull-faced creature swooped down from the hazy morning sky. It landed above Edgar, heavy claws hitting the ground with a dense thud that rattled everything around it. It glared down at the poltergeist with rage burning in its eye sockets. It lurched forward, screeching at the top of its wind pipe. Its breath blew right through Gore and put out the flames.

It clawed its way through Edgar's fence encasing with the slightest flick of its talons. Once freed, Edgar jumped to his feet, flashing a scowl that sent a chill down Gore's no longer existing spine. "You have a rock that can crush **that**?" He motioned to his slith who batted its wings in an intimidation dance.

Apparently the answer was no. Gore took flight, but a force he couldn't identify held him back. Somehow, Edgar grabbed a hold of his ghostly aura and used it to pull the poltergeist towards him like a lasso.

Gore broke free with a sudden burst of energy and fled. Edgar chased after him. Once with in arms' reach, Edgar leapt for Gore, tackling him to the ground. They wrestled for a moment or two, but Edgar finally pinned him on his back. Gore tried to dematerialize from Edgar's grip, but the skeleton grasped his aura tight, refusing to let go. Using every ounce of strength and concentration, Edgar held Gore to the ground and punched him across the face repeatedly. Anger swelled in every bone of his body. It fueled his rage, driving him to hit harder, faster. The concept of self-restraint or mercy vanished from his mind completely.

Dusk raced through the pumpkin maze, relying on scent to guide her to Edgar. Her fox-like agility gave her a keen advantage while maneuvering around the seemingly endless twits and turns. Despite her lack of breath, she quickened her pace. Edgar's trail was fresh in the area. He was close, she knew it.

Sure enough she climbed a small hill and spotted the scuffle taking place below. Dusk stared in shock. She had never seen Edgar lash out at anyone or anything so violently. Edgar did not even waste a single breath to curse, concentrating all his energy in his bony fists instead.

Edgar grabbed Gore by the shoulders and slammed him against the cold, hard ground with all his might. Had he been composed of flesh and bone, Gore's skull and neck would have surely shattered on impact by now.

"Enough!" Dusk cried, yanking Edgar off him. She held the skeleton back, but still Edgar swung at his fallen enemy.

"Let me go!" Edgar roared. "That's a fucking **order**! LET ME GO!"

"It's over, Edgar! Look!" Dusk pointed downward. Gore laid on the ground, moaning in agony. His apparitional glow flickered, luminosity fading with each passing second.

"Catch!" Kirk tossed Edgar the half melted pumpkin speaker.

Without missing a beat, Edgar pinned Gore once again. He held the speaker high above his head. "**I'm** the fucking pumpkin king!" He snarled before smashing the speaker over Gore's face. "NEVER forget it!"

Gore shrieked in protest, clawing the air for anything that might have held him to the outside world, but it was no use. The speaker, an object directly connected to his death absorbed his aura. Within seconds he was sucked inside completely, trapped. His cries and curses blared from the pumpkin speaker. The object shook on the ground for a moment or two as Gore made a last ditch effort to bust his way free. Suddenly it froze, still, silent.

Still consumed by rage, but left with nothing or no one to take it out on, Edgar lurched over on his knees and sobbed.

Dusk shook him. "Keep it together!" She growled. "You're parents are still in Oogie's clutches, remember?"

Edgar sniffed back his tears. "Right. I-I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Dusk expression softened. She helped him to his feet. "Looks like you beat him. Are you hurt?"

"Just some scratches and hairline fractures. Nothing I can't walk off. "He assured her. He handed Dusk the speaker. "Take this back to Skellington Manner. Tell Goeth to guard it with its afterlife." He turned for the exit, motioning for his slith to follow. "You'll have to fly me to the casino, Kirk. It's the quickest route." Edgar came to a sudden halt.

Dusk caught up to him. "What are you looking for?"

"Angela's head. She's under a bush nearby."

Dusk gasped. "She was injured in the crossfire?"

"Sort of." Edgar's expression appeared heavy with guilt. "I can't leave the patch until she's in one piece again."

"I'll sew her back together." Dusk offered. "You go. The casino can't wait another minute."

A/n: 'Nother opdate! Just in time for Halloween no less. Oh goodie! I'm so glad a few people seem to be still reading this. Hopefully everyone enjoyed this chapter. I'm really looking forward to the next chapter; "Oogie v. …Everyone!" Oh the possibilities.

Happy Halloween everyone. Enjoy costumes, mischief and candy. I would be out there with you all, but I have to work ~sobs~ oh well…XD


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Oogie v. …Everyone!

The trio and their Christmas town allies had crawled their way through a long, winding side tunnel within the catacombs. The jagged, dripping surface of the stony interior was just barely made visible by the harsh glow of neon bats hanging above their heads.

Jason kept low to the ground to avoid the bats. "There's _no _other rout to the casino?" The toy elf griped for the umpteenth time since they entered the bat cove.

"Shh!" The trio scolded him in unison.

"You want to wake the whole flock?!" Lock snapped in a harsh whisper.

"No! But-"

"The bat farm is the only way to the casino where we don't run the risk of bumping into black widows or scorpions." Shock explained.

"We just have to make sure the crazy bat breeder doesn't catch us in her territory."

Jason swallowed a lump in his throat. "And if she does catch us?"

Lock flashed a sharp-toothed smirk. "She'll sick her whole swarm on you."

Jason glanced up the mass of neon bats above. One glared at him through its folded wing, giving the toy elf the willies. He scurried forward as fast as he could.

Chuck snatched him by the straps of his overalls. "Stay behind Lock, ardtard. We don't know where we're going."

"I can handle the bats as long as it stays cool." Paul admitted, voice still gravely. "My throat feels much better now."

"Don't use your ice breath unless you really need to." Chuck instructed. "Another gust of wind this soon could damage your lungs permanently."

Paul nodded. "If we make it out I'm going to cut down on my smoking."

The others froze, shocked by Paul's resolution. The blizzard elf raised a brow at them "What?"

"Shh!" Lock motioned for everyone to keep quiet. "Anyone else feel that?"

Shock crawled up next to him. "Feel what?"

"A draft." The devil answered. He paused a moment to see if he would feel another cool breeze hit his face. "We're close. Barrel-"

"I'm on it." Barrel reached into the trick-or-treat bag and began to divvy out daggers and switchblades.

Shock released her blade. "On my mark, boys…"

"Come on, Jack! I don't have all year!" Oogie barked.

Jack growled, still struggling to pull his arms free from the widows' webbing. He glared at the burlap monster defiantly. "I will NOT gamble for my wife!"

"Come on, Jack, be a sport." Dixie giggled as she leaned in to kiss Sally. Sally head butted the banshee in protest. Dixie let out a short, disgusted groan as she adjust her cloud-like hair and bitch hat.

Laughing, Oogie tossed a pair of red die at Jack's forehead. They bounced off his boney brow with a small _thunk _and landed at Oogie's feet. "Double sixes!" Oogie announced with a zealous laugh.

Sally cried out through her gag as the scorpions loosened their hold on the jackalware's leash. It lunged forward far enough to snap his jowls an inch from her face. Dixie cackled at her expense.

"Sally!" Jack tried to jump to her aid, but the webs held him in place.

Oogie patted him on the back. "It's my casino, bone man. I call the shots, so don't make me tell you again." He rolled his die under Jack's nasal cavity threateningly. "**Choose a game." **

"Hold that thought, Jack!"

A chorus of gasps from the black widows and scorpions erupted as an arrow shot across the casino and landed right between the jackalware's eyes.

"CHARGE!"

The boys leapt from the bat cove entrance on Shock's command. A flock of screeching neon bats followed them out as they screamed a battle cry. Before given the slightest chance to react, Barrel pounced on Oogie's back, ready to slash the boogie man a new asshole. He put Oogie in a solid chokehold, forcing him to back away from Jack. Lock and Shock stood by with an axe and spiked club in hand, beating away any of Oogie's black widow body guards that came to his aid.

"Thank God!" Jack breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of reinforcements.

"Hold tight, Jack. We'll get you down." Paul assured the skeleton as he and Jason attempted to tear away at Jack's web restraints.

From that point on, it was chaos. The jackalware howled in agony as Chuck proceeded to shoot it full of arrows, relenting his assault only to put a bullet through any arachnoid that got in his way.

The jackalware broke free in a fit of rage. Empress and her subjects clung to his chains, trying to hold him still. Not a smart move on their part. The jackalware took them for a royal drag. It kicked and bucked haphazardly, breaking saws from the ceiling and knocking over the slot machine gunmen with his tail.

Noogie dove for one of the chains and held tightly. "Empress! Do something!" He begged, struggling to maintain his footing.

Empress hissed, flicking her barbed tail. She and her minions pounced on the canine beast, injecting it with as much poison as they could. Rather than sedate the beast, their stings seemed to fuel its rage and the jackalware continued its mindless rampage. It yanked the attacking scorpions off its back, chomping their throats out and kicking Noogie on his back in the process.

"NOOGIE!" Dixie tightened Sally's restraints. "Stay put, bitch!" She ordered before flying to Noogie's aid. She inhaled deeply and exhaled a deafening shriek. Her banshee wailing brought the jackalware to its knees. Unfortunately, her banshee wailing forced everyone else into submission with him.

Noogie's shadow self slapped her across the back of her head. "Sorry." She apologized before adjusting her pitch into a shriek only the Jackalware could hear. It fell to the floor, covering his ears; yowling in agony. Noogie pried a sword from one of the roulette cards and drove it into the jackalware's chest. He twisted the blade, carving out its heart. The beast squirmed on his back, choking up blood for a moment then blacked out cold.

Dixie threw her arms around Noogie. "My hero!"

"Not now!" Noogie shoved her away. He didn't have time to waste on her pathetic praise. He spun around, clutching the sword tightly. Sure enough Chuck had already snuck onto the roulette wheel and was cutting Sally free.

"Stay back to back with me." Chuck instructed, removing Sally's gag. "I'll get you to the surface."

"Look out!" Sally cried before rolling off the side of the platform.

Chuck rolled in the opposite direction, just barely missing a downward slash from Noogie's sword. He jumped behind the platform, using it as a barrier between him and the younger Boogie brother.

"Hold still!" Noogie chased the human around the platform, swinging the bloodied sword. Chuck was known in Christmas town for his strength, not speed, but luckily he was just quick enough to avoid a gutting.

"Chuck!" Paul cried out to his friend."

"Go help him, hurry!" Jason urged.

Paul hesitated. "I can't leave Jack here!"

"One hand is free, that's all I need to free my feet." Jack assured him. "Go!"

Paul gave Jack a nod before rushing head first into battle. Two black widows abandoned their scuffle with Lock and Shock to chase after him. Sally tackled one of them to the floor. Paul was forced to face the other one alone.

"Elvish blood; it smells so sweet!" The arachnoid hissed, fangs dripping with venom as she closed in on Paul.

"Stay away from me…" Paul backed away, holding his knife to the widow nervously. She hissed in his face and slapped the blade out of his hands. What could he do now? He wasn't raised a fighter. He had no weapons, no defenses of any…then it hit him.

The widow hissed as she pounced. Paul's reflexes kicked in and he exhaled an icy blast in her face. The widow fell to her knees, eyes and jowls frozen shut. Paul clutched his throat. It stung, but the pain was bearable. He glanced sideways and realized Sally was still wrestling the other widow on the floor.

He went to her aid, but Sally motioned for him to stay back. "I got her!" she assured Paul with a grunt, keeping her hands wrapped tightly around her opponent's throat to prevent a highly venomous bite.

"Right!" Paul immediately turned for Noogie.

Sally was seconds away from asphyxiating the widow when someone snuck up from behind and yanked her to her feet by her hair. "YOU!" Dixie snarled in Sally's ear. She and the widow forced her in a submission hold. Dixie smiled as she stroked the stitches on Sally's cheek. "C'mon, sweetie. Let's move to someplace roomier."

Chuck reached behind him for another arrow, but felt nothing but air. "Oh fuck!" "Come on, man. You really thought you could fight me with arrows?" Noogie slapped the bow right of Chuck's hands. He laughed hardily as he held the edge of his sword to Chuck's throat. "Humans are even easier to kill than scare. I almost feel guilty for what I'm about to do. Ha! Almost-" He looked Chuck over for a second. "A little hairy, but you'll do for a sna-AHHK!"

He was cut off by the harsh whistling of a cold winter wind against his back. He spun around, ready to slice the offending blizzard elf in two, but his arm froze in mid air. "No no no no!"

Chuck pulled out his dagger and pounced. He drove the blade deep into Noogie's back. Noogie moaned in agony as the long gash in his back began to leak bugs.

Paul cringed as Noogie deflated before his very eyes. "Help me stomp the these little fuckers!" Chuck ordered, putting his big black boots to good use. Paul held in the urge to vomit as he aided his human friend with the squishing. "Am I still dead weight?" he sneered playfully.

"Guess not." Chuck smiled. "Thanks, bro."

Just as Lock slammed his club right between a pouncing widow's eyes, another grabbed him from behind. She opened her jowls wide, forcing Lock to turn his head with her second pair of arms to get a clean bite at his neck. Luckily Shock drove her axe between her shoulder blades. The widow fell to the floor, bleeding.

Lock and Shock stood over the pile of fallen black widows, panting heavily. "Is that the last of them?" Lock asked breathlessly.

"I-I think so." Shock's eyes widened with horror as she looked up. "Hold on, Barrel! We're coming!"

Barrel managed to stab a few holes in Oogie's back and shoulders, but failed to drain him of enough bug innards to weaken him. Growling with rage, Oogie pulled Barrel over his shoulder and slammed him back side down against the floor. The impact shook the casino.

He spun around, flashing the two charging boogie boys a death glare. Lock and Shock screeched to a halt as Oogie opened his mouth to inhale.

They tried to split up, but Oogie took a massive inward breath. The gust sucked them right off their feet and into Boogie's arms. He wrapped his tentacle-like appendages around their throats tightly. They squirmed, trying to kick free.

Oogie exhaled a hardy laugh at their expense. "I've been brainstorming for a new recipe." He taunted in their ears. "Bastard Stew! Care to take a guess on what the main ingredient might be. Ha ha ha ha!"

Barrel, still on his back and in a tremendous amount of pain, managed to come to. Through blurred vision he could see Lock and Shock trapped in an inescapable Oogie choke hold. Thinking quickly, he grabbed Oogie by the ankles and yanked his feet out from under him.

Oogie cried out as his back hit the floor, shaking the entire casino even more so than Barrel had. Now free, Shock and Lock pulled Barrel to his feet.

Groaning, disoriented, Oogie opened his eyes to find Jack leering over him, wearing a murderous scowl. "It's Over, Oogie."

"Jack, you're free." Oogie's tone sounded much too pleasant for the displeased scowl on his face. "Allow me to fix that." He spit swarm of flies and wasps in Jack's face.

Jack stumbled backwards, trying to shoo the swarm away. Growling, Oogie sat upright only to be tackled and pinned to the floor by Shock and Barrel.

"Eat THIS you fucker!" Barrel roared before cutting a deep, long gash across Oogie's throat.

With one last burst of energy, Oogie sat upright, throwing Shock and Barrel off him. He crawled on his knees, gasping for breath and clutching his throat to keep the bugs in.

Jack stomped towards him, fists on his hips. "No more tricks, Oogie! You're outnumbered and surrounded. It's **over**!"

Oogie attempted to make a snappy comeback, but his words came out as gargled choking as bugs spilled from the gash on his neck. He held the wound shut, hand shaking.

"You have endangered my friends, family and this town for the last time!" Jack vowed. "This time I won't make the mistake of leaving your remains to rot down here. We're taking you back to Town Hall where you will stand trial for your crimes and rot in the cemetery for the rest of-"

Suddenly Oogie burst into flames. Jack jumped back, just barely managing not to catch on fire himself. Oogie rolled around on the floor, screaming in agony. A few moments passed and Oogie finally collapsed to the floor, reduced to a heap of ashes.

Jack looked past his remains and spotted the trio and their Christmas Town allies. They all stared at Lock, who exhaled a smoke ring, grinning.

"Did…did you just spit a fireball at him?" Jack asked the devil.

"You bet your boney ass, I did. I wasn't about to show Oogie mercy. It's a good thing we're not nice guys or we might have had to go through this bullshit all over again in another thirty years."

"That wasn't the way I wanted to dispose of him, but I guess it works." Jack eyed Lock curiously. "Since when did you breathe fire?"

Lock rolled his eyes. "I used to be a great sorcerer before I dropped out of the catacombs."

Shock swatted him across the back of the head. "A fireball might have been useful five minutes ago, bo-tard! Like against the black widows-"

"Or the jackalware!" Chuck added.

"Or the Scorpions!" Barrel gave Lock another swat to the back of his head.

"Watch the hair!" Lock snapped, adjusting his horns. "I was kind of hoping to take back the casino _without _completely destroying it, **okay**?"

"Nobody do a victory dance just yet." Shock ordered, looking around at her wrecked casino. "Where's Noogie?"

"Disposed of." Chuck held up Noogie's remains. "Paul and I took care of him."

Barrel smiled. "In that case…" He and his siblings cried "WOOOOOOOOOOOO!" engaging in a victory mosh pit.

"Hold on! Hold on!" Jack motioned for them to stop. "Anyone seen Sally?"

Paul and Chuck exchanged worried glances. "Last I say her, she was tackling one of the big spiders." The blizzard elf answered.

Jack held his head, mind racing with worry. "Oh dear God, they must have dragged her off."

"They couldn't have gotten too far with her." Shock assured him. "We'll split up and search the passageways-"

"No need, guys!" A familiar voice echoed from one of the cave entrances.

Jack's eye sockets lit up as Sally walked out of the shadows with Trixie hovering behind her, holding her twin sister, Dixie in a headlock. "Sally!"

They ran into each other's arms and shared a kiss. "I thought I lost you."

"You almost did." Sally admitted. "Dixie and Matriarch ganged up on me. Luckily Trixie here showed up and-"

Jack raised a puzzled growl. "Trixie?"

Everyone turned their attention to her. It took them a moment to recall her identity, but the less than pleasant memory of their last encounter with the banshee twins jarred their memory.

"What are you doing back in Halloween?" Shock sneered.

"Trying to help. It's the least I could do after…after…" Trixie looked to her feet bashfully. "I'm just grateful I was able to return to my apparitional form in time. I would have never stood a chance against my sister in my corporeal state."

"You are NOT my sister anymore!" Dixie hissed. "I'll never forgive you- any of you for this!"

Trixie tightened her chokehold. "I think we'll live with that."

"Well, at least we have _someone _to drag back to Town Hall to stand trial." The witch sighed.

"Hello…?! Is everyone all right down there!" Thicket called from up above.

"Everyone's alive and well!" Barrel assured her.

"We'll be up in a minute!" Shock added. "Let's get the hell out of here."

"What about the casino!" Lock griped, pointing to the wreckage.

"Later, Lock!" His siblings snapped at him in unison.

Edgar wanted to tell Kirk to fly faster, but the poor Slith was over exerting itself as it is. He spotted a group of people embracing one another in hugs around the tree house. He recognized the trio, their spouses, Chuck, Paul, Jason and his parents. They all seemed to be okay. He wanted to cry; he never felt so relieved. "Land Kirk!" He ordered, pointing below. "I see them!"

Kirk nodded. As instructed, he swooped down and got into landing position. Once the slith's talons hit the ground, Edgar hopped off its back and raced over to them.

"Mom! Dad!"

"Edgar!" Sally embraced Edgar in a rib crunching bear hug and kissed him on the forehead.

"When I heard you two had been kidnapped, I-"

"We're fine, Edgar." Jack assured him. "Thanks our your friends."

Barrel put Edgar in a headlock and gave him an atomic noogie. "Guess what, Ed?"

"We finally snuffed Noogie _and_ Oogie!" Lock answered before Edgar could guess.

"For good this time- no thanks to you." Shock added, flashing him a playful grin.

Edgar smiled at her. "I got here as fast as I could."

"Sure you did." Chuck slapped him on his back. "No need to thank us."

"You're all idiots for sneaking into the casino, you know." Hatchet scolded them.

"Yeah!" Thicket sneered, slapping Lock across the back of his head.

"Hey!" Lock griped. "I was the one who actually killed Oogie! Whay do I keep getting slapped.

"Because what y'all did was stupid and reckless!" Hester replied, elbowing Barrel in the ribs.

Hatchet nodded. "Indeed, but I guess it all worked out."

Shock kissed him on the cheek. "Yup, score one for us. What ever happened to that poltergeist bastard? Please tell me you took care of him, Ed."

"He's trapped inside a pumpkin speaker. Long story. Dusk is standing guard back at Skellington manner."

"So it really is all over." Hester breathed a sigh of relief.

"Not quite." Shock warned. "Now comes the really hard part."

"What's that?" Jason asked.

Edgar shuddered. "Addressing the town."

Jack placed a hand on his shoulder. "We better hurry back then. The longer we wait the worse it will be."

Edgar sighed. His father was right as usual. "Let's head back. Those not traveling by broomstick, hop on a slith."

Kirk crouched down low, allowing Edgar to hop on. "Trixie, follow me. Don't loosen your grip on your sister for an instant."

"Right…."

a/n: woot! Action! This just about wraps everything up. One more chapter/ and or a prologue to go and its finished! I'm so happy! Hope you all enjoyed this. Thanks for reading. Rock on everybody


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